The Prince, the Pauper, and the Purposeless
by Hikari-san42
Summary: DISCONTINUED. Alvin, Simon, and Theodore are dropped off at an orphanage in 18th century America, but they're adopted by different people! Can they ever find each other again with only the vague memories they have of each other?
1. Introductions in the 1700's

**Well, here it is. The first chapter of ****_The Prince, the Pauper, and the Purposeless. _I don't usually do this type of thing, starting more than one story at once, but I've been waiting to post this for a while and I decided: "What the heck?!" **

**So, hope you enjoy this. I had to do a lot of research, and I still think I've got a few things wrong. Correct me if you find anything that I missed. **

**Disclaimer: Alvin, Simon, Theodore, and David Seville belong to Ross Bagdasarian, but Marie Seville and Paul and Rosemary Kingston do belong to me, along with the plot to this story.**

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_Prologue_

One cold, winter's night, in eighteenth century America, a small hand-woven basket was dropped off on a doorstep. Inside were three small chipmunks, each clothed in a different color. The eldest was in red, and middle child in blue, and the youngest in green.

All night, the three baby chipmunks sat in the basket, holding onto each other. They didn't make a sound, for they knew that the whole village was asleep and didn't want to break the silence.

But, just as the sun was peaking over the horizon, the eldest cried out. It was a long mournful sound that would break anyone's heart. The woman in the house they had been dropped at jumped up at the cry and didn't think twice before she hopped out of bed and rushed down the stairs in her home – pulling on her cloak as she did so.

When she opened the door, her heart dropped into her stomach. There, sitting on her doorstep, were the cutest baby chipmunks she had ever seen. She didn't think twice about them as she picked up the wicker handle on the basket and pulled them into her home, for chipmunks were a huge part of society. It wasn't unusual to see a chipmunk walking down the street or ridding in on of the many carriages that carried people to and fro.

The woman carefully set the basket on her table and smiled when all three yawned simultaneously.

"Who would want to give you three up?" She asked to herself as she patted each on the head. The eldest tried to swat her hand away and she noticed that there was a piece of parchment tied around each of their wrists. She grabbed hold of his tiny hand and looked at the aging sheet of paper.

"Hello, Albert." She said as she read the name off the paper.

The little boy whimpered and cast his ice-blue eyes over the woman. "No," He argued. "Alvin."

The woman shrugged and smiled again. "Alvin." She then looked over the other two and found their names also.

"Alvin, Simon, and Theodore," She said as she waved her hand around the room, "Welcome to Whitechappel orphanage."

--

_**Begin Chapter 1. **_

"Spare some change, sir?" A young homeless boy asked in a high pitched voice as he looked up at a nicely dressed man in an overcoat.

The man glanced down at the boy and his heart and expression softened. He bent down and placed a small sixpence in the boy's hat that sat on the ground. From the look of him, the ratty thing was all he had. "That is donated toward you're next meal, nothing more, nothing less." And with that, the higher class man walked away without looking back.

Simon's eyes widened and he gripped his scarf tightly while he gazed at the silver coin sitting in his hat. It wasn't worth much, but he was now a sixpence richer than he had been that morning. Wouldn't his mother be surprised! He snatched up his hat and held it against his chest to keep anyone from taking the valuable coin resting inside while he slowly walked through the snowy streets, his feet leaving small impressions as he went.

Simon was careful to not bump into anyone as he went. He didn't want the chance of someone jarring him and his coin go flying.

He made his way slowly, taking his time, as he walked back to his small house. It was only a few minutes away, but he had to be careful to not get lost, because there was no way for him to get back.

Simon watched his feet as he walked, not meeting any of the gazes of the higher class people walking around him. They bumped into him from all ways and he clutched his hat tighter as he moved down the street at a snail's pace.

"Simon!" He heard a female voice call him his head snapped up sharply. A woman was standing outside a door with a cloak wrapped around her shoulders as she waved. He smiled and made his way across the busy street to her. She hugged him as he met her and she wrapped the blanket around his shoulders.

"You'll catch your death out here without a coat! Why didn't you wear one?" She asked as she ushered him into the building after waiting for him to pull off his shoes.

"The one you bought me is too small, Marie." He answered as he sat down in front of the small fire in the hearth. He held his small hands out toward it and they warmed almost immediately. He pulled his fingerless gloves off to get the full affect as he looked back up at the woman.

"It is?" She asked as she grabbed the small piece of blue fabric off the hook by the door.

Simon nodded and he glanced back at the fire. "The one you made me was warmer than that one. I prefer that one."

"But, Simon, its been worn thin!" She grabbed the collar of the coat he had on and rubbed it between her fingers. She scoffed in the back of her throat as she did this and commanded him to take it off. "I shall just have to thicken it." She then took it and sat down in the rocking chair opposite the hearth beside Simon.

He shook his head as he gazed at the woman before him. She was what every boy wanted in a mother. She could sew, cook, clean, and do everything a woman should. _And she could run a library. _He added silently to himself as he watched her pull her sewing needle through his old coat.

Simon and Marie lived in the only library in Boston, maybe the only one in America. It was just basically a huge collection of books placed in a large building with lots of wooden bookcases.

It wasn't customary for lower class women to read, but Marie didn't like to fold to conformity. She was one of the women that actually spoke her mind when in the company of men. Simon admired her integrity, but he knew that it could one day get her in really big trouble. She had never been married, and she said that Simon – her adoptive son – and David – her brother – were the only men in her life. They were all she needed.

Marie had taught Simon to read when he had been a young five years old. He sighed to himself as he recalled that day those four years ago and he leaned back in the chair he was sitting in as he snuggled into the blanket Marie had placed around his shoulders.

He had been so young. He thought to himself as he got lost in his memories. Times hadn't been hard then. At least from what he could tell. There weren't taxes on everything.

He and Marie were struggling to survive. The English Parliament had placed taxes on lead, glass, paper, and tea and Simon knew that the colonies were struggling just like he and Marie were. He could see it as he walked around on the street. There were more and more vagabonds showing up all the time and he was having trouble getting the richer people to give him money.

He and Marie had tried to get along without all the things that were being taxed, but it was rough, especially since Marie's job depended on paper.

Simon shook his head to get rid of the negative thoughts and he fished around in his pocket for the sixpence he had stashed there. He held it up and smiled as the firelight glinted off its surface. "Here, Marie." He held it out and she glanced up.

"Keep it Simon." She said as she snapped the thread with her teeth. "Use it only when you need to."

Simon looked down at the coin in his hand in shock. Marie never let him keep the money he managed to get! He nodded to himself before dropping the small coin back in his pocket.

"Thank you, Marie." He replied as he grabbed his mother's hand. "I will save it."

"Good." Marie consented as she held up Simon's coat. "Sing me a song. It will sooth my unsteadiness."

Simon smiled and chuckled before opening his mouth. He sang a few bars of warm up; going up and down on his range before beginning a simple melody that he remembered Marie singing to him when he was little.

_You must make me a fine Holland shirt,  
Blow, blow, blow, ye winds, blow,__  
And not have in it a stitch of needlework,__  
Blow, ye winds that arise, blow, blow._

--

Alvin sighed sadly as he glanced at his father. David Seville was a younger man with black hair, brown eyes and incurable spirit. Right at this very moment, he was going on about how the English Parliament had done them wrong. The colonies deserved representation in Parliament before they had the right to tax them so, and he wasn't going to rest until this wrong was righted.

He rolled his eyes at David's enthusiasm, but he was quick to interrupt him when he got too loud. You never knew who would turn them in now-a-days.

"Dave," He began, calling his caretaker by his preferred nickname. "What are we having for supper?"

Dave stopped in his tirade and looked down at his nine year old son. "I do not yet know, Alvin. I might have to visit Marie and see if she has any food to lend."

"May I go with you?" Alvin looked up at Dave with hopefully eyes. In his short nine years of live, he had heard nothing but good things about his aunt, Dave's sister, Marie, but he had never gotten the chance to meet her.

Dave looked at him for a few moments before a smile broke out over his face. "I do not see why not. She has a son about your age. You might get along."

Alvin laughed and ran toward Dave. He grabbed him around the leg in a hug before speaking, "Thank you! Thank you!"

Dave chuckled and shook Alvin off. "Grab your coat. We'll leave at night fall."

--

On the other side of town, Theodore Kingston was settling down for dinner in his own home. Only his adoptive mother greeted him on the other side of the table. She smiled before gesturing toward the maid standing in the corner. She nodded slightly before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Darling, how were lessons?" Rosemary Kingston asked her small adoptive son, trying to make conversation.

Theodore squirmed in his chair under her intense gaze and his green eyes almost immediately landed on the table in front of him. He tugged his oversized hat down over his eyes and continued memorizing the lines in the wood of the table.

"Theodore?" She asked again as he blew that feather that was attached to the hat out of his face. He glanced up at her and opened his mouth to answer her earlier question, but, the maid chose that moment to come in with the food.

She set a steaming bowl of food in front of Theodore and he politely thanked her as she backed away, her skirts swishing around her ankles.

She bowed at his thanks and very awkwardly made her way back into the kitchen, careful to give the lady of the house a wide berth.

Theodore watched her go and couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for the woman. She had been working in the Kingston household for as long as he could remember because she was an indentured servant; she had been unable to pay for her boat trip over to the New World, so his father had offered to, like he did with a lot of the other settlers that came over from England. But, she had to make it up to him by working off her debt. This was easier said than done, because Theodore's father made her pay for everything: Her meals, clothing, even her place in the bunk house.

The ending result of this arrangement was that she was always in debt and had found no way to pay her way out of her servitude.

"How did your lessons go, Theodore?" His adoptive mother asked again as she blew on a spoonful of the hot broth.

He sniffed before answering. "Perfectly fine." He stuck a spoonful of the soup in his mouth without waiting for it to cool and his eyes widened as it scalded his tongue. He held it inside his mouth though, and forced himself to swallow, because that's how he had been taught. As it went down, he reached for the glass of water sitting just to the right of his bowl.

"Good. Good." Rosemary answered, not really paying attention.

Theodore was used to this. His adoptive mother didn't really care about him. The only person who paid even remotely attention to him was his father, Paul, and that was just because Theodore was the sole heir to the Kingston estate and fortune.

Theodore had resolved long ago, that once he came of age, he would let all of his father's indentured servants go, and he would hire some trustworthy men and women to help him run his household.

"When will Father be home?" He asked as he placed his spoon on the table to let his soup have a chance to cool.

Rosemary looked up at him. "By nightfall." Theodore glanced out the window and sighed when he saw the sun dipping below the horizon. Paul would be back any minute now.

They continued eating in silence, the only sound being the clinking of their spoons against their bowls.

Soon, the room darkened from the lack of sunlight entering from the windows and the same maid as before swished around the room, lighting candles and oil lamps. His father still had not returned.

Theodore finished his meal not soon after, keeping his ears pealed for the sound of hooves crunching on the gravel outside that would signal his father's return.

He moved toward the stairs, where his bed was waiting and couldn't help but glance at the door once more. Where was his father?

"Head up to bed, lad." Theodore froze at the deep voice that echoed around the huge room and he turned slowly.

A smiled lit up his face when he saw Paul Kingston standing beside the door. He was a balding, middle aged man with a slightly protruding gut that only the rich could afford to have. Theodore ran across the huge room, his footsteps echoing across the tiles, until he reached the man.

He leaped up into Paul's arms and the huge man spun around with the most precious thing in his life. "I might come home late every night, if this is the greeting I will get." He laughed out as Theodore giggled slightly.

"Paul." The man froze when he heard his wife's voice and he set Theodore on the ground. Rosemary moved forward and embraced her husband before grabbing his hand and towing him toward the living area, totally ignoring Theodore.

"Wait, Rose." Paul ordered before Rosemary could pull him too far. He broke through her grip and knelt in front of Theodore.

The small boy ran forward and stood in front of his father waiting for what he had to say.

"I got you something." Paul gestured toward the door and one of the maids ran forward with something in her hand. She handed it to Theodore and back up slightly, waiting for his reaction.

Theodore squealed happily and hugged the bundle tightly. He heard Rosemary scoff but Paul's laughter covered it up.

"I knew you would like it." He said as he let his wife continue to pull him.

Theodore called his thanks after his father and mounted the stairs, ready to head to bed.

He gazed down at the small stuffed animal in his hands and couldn't help but marvel at the craftsman ship of the seams. The little bunny rabbit had been perfectly crafted with the softest fabric possible.

But, it wasn't what the toy was made of that made Theodore happy. It was just the fact that his father had thought about him while he had been out.

He squeezed the rabbit tightly as he slipped under the covers and he had nothing but sweet dreams that night.

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**Well, there you go! Hope you enjoyed the first chapter.**

**Please review! I need reviews! Please?!**

**Review! **


	2. Meetings and Glances in the Market

**I don't know what it is about this story. I just sat down this afternoon and my fingers wrote this chapter in a good four hours. A little shorter than I usually take to write something, but I'm not complaining. **

**So, enjoy this very fast update. (I'm still in shock myself.) **

**Oh, I know the speech is a little off, but I can't really write in the way they spoke back then. I don't really know how they phrased things, so just live with it until I get the hang of it. **

**Thanks to all the reviewers! You are one of the reasons that I even sat down to write today!**

**Disclaimer: Look back at last chapter.**

_**December 11, 1773**_

Later that day, as Simon was helping Marie set the table for supper, the room started to spin. He clutched his head in an attempt to make the dizzy feeling go away but it didn't help any.

"Marie." He called as he stumbled toward the fireplace. He carefully lowered himself into one of the chairs and his head stopped spinning as soon as he was stationary. "I think I'm ill."

Marie rushed down the stairs and into the main section of the library. She didn't waste any time tripping her way over to Simon and placing a hand on his forehead. She _tsk_ed at Simon and shook her head. "You've caught cold. Go straight up to bed."

Simon nodded and smiled his thanks that she didn't remind him of the fact that she had been right all along.

Marie smiled back and pointed at the stairs to hurry him along. He followed the direction her finger was pointing and mounted the stairs, casting one last look over his shoulder.

Marie slowly walked back toward the iron stove that sat in the corner of the other room. She stirred the bowl of steaming food and moved toward the door to collect as much clean snow that she could to melt down for water.

When she came back in, her spoils small because of the lack of sanitation in Boston, she almost dropped her pail of the white fluffy stuff when she saw a tall man with his back to her standing in the middle of her house.

She managed to stay silent as she moved into the kitchen and grabbed one of the large carving knives resting next to the stove. She held it up and spoke, alerting the intruder of her presence. "What are you doing in my house?"

The man spun around and Marie dropped the knife in relief as she recognized the man before her. "David." She breathed as she placed a hand over her heart. "Thank goodness."

The man smiled at her before moving forward and giving her a huge hug. "Baby sister." He greeted as he bent down to grab the knife that had landed with a clatter at their feet.

Marie took the knife from him graciously and set it back in its place before grabbed his arm and towing him toward the hearth. "I don't mean to sound rude, but why the sudden visit?"

David smiled at her and he gestured at the rocking chair set in front of the fire. It rocked back and forth steadily, creaking from too much use. "I brought someone to meet you."

At the sound of David's voice, a little head popped out from the side of the chair and Marie's face lit up when she saw him.

"Is this who I think it is?" She asked as she moved toward the small boy in the now still chair.

David smiled and nodded. "Marie, this is Alvin. Alvin, this is your Aunt Marie."

Alvin jumped up from the chair and ran forward. He took Marie's hand and kissed it before introducing himself to her.

"What a gentleman!" Marie giggled as she curtsied to the young man. But the thought of gentlemen made her pause as thoughts of Simon come flooding into her head; the poor dear, sick while she enjoyed company downstairs. "I'm afraid that Simon has fallen ill. He is upstairs resting."

Dave's eyes widened and Alvin looked abashed at that. He had so been looking forward to meeting this young boy that Dave had spoken so much about on the walk over.

"I feel fine, Marie." A frail voice called from the direction of the stairs. All three turned but couldn't see the owner of the voice over the tall bookcases.

Soon, the owner of the voice padded into their view, still clad in his patched pants and shirt. His simple looking blue hat flopped over his eyes, having been stretched to its limits in its lifetime. The hat was a hand-me-down, but Simon cherished it because it had belonged to his grandfather. Behind the over-sized spectacles resting on his nose, his gray eyes were clouded with sickness.

"Simon-" Marie began, but David interrupted her.

"Let him stay, Marie. If he can walk, then I say he can eat with us."

Marie looked uncertain at this, but she nodded in permission at Simon and he smiled ruefully up at Dave.

"Hello, Uncle Dave." He greeted as he gripped Dave's hand in his own in greeting. He coughed slightly before he noticed the small form standing behind Dave's leg.

"Come out and say hello, Alvin."

Simon jolted. Alvin…? Why did that name sound so familiar?

A small boy crept out from behind Dave and looked up at Simon with wide blue eyes. Simon felt his own eyes widening in response as he took in the boy.

He looked almost exactly like him! They had the same face shape, body type, and even their hair flopped out of their hats in the same exact style.

They moved around each other, circling as they tried to get a better look at the other. Marie had grabbed Dave's arm when she had noticed the similarities as well, while Dave was watching, fascination clear on his pale face.

Suddenly, realization flooded Simon's mind and he almost tripped over himself. "Al-Alvin?" He gasped out as he stopped circling to get a better look at the shorter chipmunk in front of him. He said the word with a new tone behind it. It wasn't like a boy saying it for the first time; it was in a way that a brother greeted his long lost sibling.

"Simon." Alvin replied in the same tone. The stared at each other awkwardly before tears welled up in both of their eyes.

"I thought I'd lost you!" The burst out at the same time as they hugged each other. Dave and Marie looked on in confusion as both boys held back their tears. They danced around with each other happily before Simon went into a coughing fit and made Alvin pause.

When Simon finished, both boys looked up at their caretakers with smiles on their faces. "This is my brother." They spoke at the same time again, their voices harmonizing.

Marie glanced at David through the corner of her eye but didn't let her disbelief show on her face. "Are you sure?"

Both boys looked at each other before nodding and smiling almost the exact same smile.

Marie was taken aback at the sight of the two so close together with almost the same expression; they looked like twins!

Dave glanced back and forth between the two boys and smiled. "How do you know?" His words spoiled the look on his face.

Alvin rolled his eyes lightly while Simon tapped his forehead and answered: "Memories."

Dave laughed quietly and decided to play along. "Any more brothers we should know about?"

Alvin and Simon glanced at each other for a few seconds, horror clear on their faces.

"Theodore."

--

_**December 12, 1773**_

The next morning, the missing brother woke early, a conversation with his father from a few days ago echoing around his head.

"_-take you to town with me." _

Theodore jumped out of his huge bed and landed halfway across the room. He ran past the maid as she laid out his clothes and down the hall, careful not to trip and go skidding across the floor.

"Father!" He yelled out as he jumped onto Paul's stomach, knocking the breath out of the sleeping man. "Awake!"

Theodore felt Paul's stomach rumble in laughter at his son's behavior and he sat up before picking Theodore up. "Woah, lad. What is the problem?"

Theodore's smile lit up his face. "You promised to take me into town today!"

Paul looked thoughtful for a second before he tickled Theodore a little under the chin. "So I did! Well, we should get a move on then!" He placed Theodore on the floor before sitting up and standing. Rosemary shifted slightly in her sleep and turned over while mumbling something that sounded like, "Can never get a good night's sleep with that chipmunk around…"

Theodore ignored her as he grabbed his father's hand and pulled him into the hallway. He wasn't going to let her sour attitude get the best of him today.

Paul laughed at the small boy's lack of patience and he stopped at the top of the stairs.

"Slow down, lad. You go get dressed and meet me down stairs after breakfast.

--

Later that day, Theodore stepped down from his father's carriage as carefully as possible and shivered slightly as the bone chilling wind hit him. It whipped his scarf around his head and he jumped up and snatched it before it could blow away.

Paul picked Theodore up off the ground and placed him on his shoulders so he wouldn't get lost and started down the sidewalk, careful to keep out of the street.

"Where are we going, Father?" Theodore asked as he looked around, his eyes glinting with excitement.

"Oh, I thought we could just look around. Christmas is this month."

Theodore nodded to himself and he glanced back and forth, trying to keep his eyes open for potential presents.

"That's where I got your rabbit." Paul nodded toward a simple looking merchant stand. Two similar looking boys were sitting off to the side, talking, while a man and a woman manned the stand.

Theodore felt his eyes travel over the boys and he got a weird feeling that he had seen them somewhere before…

Suddenly, Paul turned in the direction of the stand and Theodore gripped onto his head tighter.

"Where are we going?" He asked as he looked back and forth quickly.

"To find a present for your mother."

Theodore's eyes widened as Paul set him on the ground. The small boy's adoptive father moved toward the woman and started to speak to her about one of the hand-woven blankets sitting on the stand, while the man standing next to her stared at Theodore unwaveringly.

Theodore shivered slightly under the man's intense gaze and he moved toward the two boys sitting in the snow on the side. They looked to be about the same age as him and they had the similar features of twins.

They spoke in low voices and Theodore had to strain his ears to hear them.

"- don't know, Alvin. We just have to keep searching." The one with the glasses spoke first, and he coughed afterward.

"We shall find him, Simon. He's close. I can feel it."

Theodore leaned forward a little to listen a little closely, but jumped when he heard his name being called.

"Theodore, I found something. We can leave now."

The two boys' heads snapped around at the sound of the voice and Theodore saw their eyes move up and down his small frame, examining his every inch. When they got to his face, their eyes widened and they looked at each other. Blue met gray and they glanced back and forth between each other and Theodore.

"Theodore." He heard them mutter together as they rose to their feet. The taller boy moved toward him, but Paul scooped the small boy into his arms before he could say anything.

"Come on, lad. We must get home."

Theodore didn't struggle, just scrambled his way up Paul's arm so he could see over his shoulder. The two boys had moved from the side of the stand and were standing behind it with the two adults. The bespectacled one spoke quickly to the male and the man called out, but his voice was lost in the block of sound that suddenly hit Theodore as his father plunged back into the huge throng of people occupying the sidewalk.

Theodore climbed onto Paul's shoulders and he got one last glimpse at the two boys. The shorter one was holding up three fingers and he was staring right into Theodore's eyes, speaking through his blue eyes.

Theodore understood almost immediately. Three brothers, separated at a young age, were just reunited by a fluke of faith and he was being carried away without having spoken a word to his brothers.

His green eyes stared in shock at his long-lost brothers until a man and woman walked in the path of his eyes and blocked them from view. He would find them again, he assured himself as he was carried further way, someday…

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**Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave them in a review! **

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	3. Memories in the Library

**Well, here you go. It took me about an hour to write this chapter. Mainly because I had the first section already written... like... a month ago... **

**Anyway, this chapter is short, but it has great importance, so be sure to read it carefully. **

**Oh, and I'm currently working on a two-shot, so keep your eyes peeled for that. (It's called: _Meet the Parents_. And it's placed a few months after the end of the Chipmunk Story.) Info on my Profile! **

**Oh, a just a little random/intersting/ironic factoid: One of the ships involved in the Boston Tea Party was named the _Eleanor_. **

**Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: Look back**

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**_December 14, 1773_**

"There's talk of the tea ship that pulled into port yesterday." Dave said to Marie as they sipped on water the next day. They had both agreed to help with the cause and boycott the tea, but that didn't mean they had to like it.

Simon had been quietly reading one of the many books in the library, and had heard the door jingle. He hadn't thought anything about it and had continued reading in his little corner. Soon, there was the quiet murmur of voices and Simon assumed that the person who had come in just wanted to share the town gossip with his adoptive mother.

But, soon, the visitor's voice had gotten louder and Simon could tell that it was in on the lower side so it was a man. His keen ears caught certain words that came floating over the wood shelves and he closed his eyes. He hated that kind of talk. _"Revolution, King, traitor." _

But, once he had heard them, he was curious and had to listen in, so he carefully padded over to the small sitting area where the visitor and Marie were sitting and placed his head against the wall to keep from falling over.

"I'm not surprised." Marie replied to the visitor who had identified himself as David Seville. "With that tea tax, I wouldn't be surprised if they dumped it into the harbor."

"Aye." David replied quickly as he took a sip of water into his mouth. He swirled it around and grimaced as he swallowed. "This water is starting to taste horrid after so many drinks."

"Yes." Marie replied as she looked intently out the window. Suddenly, she snapped her head around and looked David in the eyes. "David," she said as she took his hand, "dear brother. Please, I beg of you. If something should happen to me, you will take care of Simon?"

David looked taken aback at his sister's sudden mood change but he grasped Marie's other hand with his own. "How many times have I told you to call me Dave?" He asked, trying to think of a response to her question. "And, of course, I will take care of Simon. I'm sure Alvin would love to have him; they've gotten along wonderfully in the past few days."

Simon didn't hear Marie's reply, for he was up and running across the room. He grabbed his favorite book, _The Messenger's Daughter,_ off the shelf and flipped it open to the very middle. It went there immediately and Simon grasped the small piece of paper sitting there. It was torn and the corners were dog-eared a little, but the writing was still legible.

The talk about Alvin had made Simon remember this small piece of paper and he smiled as he picked it up. He would have to show to Alvin as soon as possible; he was sure his brother would want the small piece of their past.

He studied the graceful flowing script as he read the name that his eyes had memorized so long ago.

_Theodore_.

It still amazed Simon that he managed to grab the small piece of parchment off his twin brother's arm those many years ago in the orphanage without him noticing. But, then again, Theodore had been sleeping at the time…

He shuddered as he recalled the memories of the day they had been separated and quickly banished them to the far reaches of his mind before sitting back down with his book.

But, thoughts of Alvin, his other twin, came swimming to the surface and he couldn't concentrate on the words written across the page.

Where was Alvin anyway? He asked himself as he set the book down and padded toward the sitting area, with every intention to interrogate David as to where his son was.

But, something stopped him before he took five steps. His mind suddenly called up memories that he didn't want to remember and he shuddered as he saw flashes of his early life.

_A mother's sweet voice singing; Alvin asking if he had any idea where they were; then the cold of the morning as they were dropped outside of the orphanage._

The memories were fading, but Simon desperately called them back as one fleeting memory took over the others.

"_I'll be back for you, boys." _It was a sweet voice. High pitched like his own, but Simon could tell it was female and that it was his mother.

When the sound of his mother's voice echoed away slowly, Simon let the rest of the memories fade away as well. He had no time for such silly things. He had a mother; Marie had given him everything he had ever wanted. More even, he was happy, had a warm home, and a loving caretaker. Hey! He even knew one of his brothers. His life couldn't be better…

--

_**December 16, 1773**_

"Marie!" Simon was woken up by pounding on the front door of the library down below him. Marie and he lived in the second story of the library. There wasn't much to their small floor, but it was enough. And he was content to have the books right below him. "Open up!" Simon heard the pitter-patter of Marie's feet as she ran down the stairs and into the library below. He heard the door open and the sound of someone one walking in with snow on their feet. Marie clucked at them and Simon heard the door open again a curse and the person who had knocked stumbled as they tried to take off their shoes.

"What are you doing here, Dave?" Simon heard Marie ask.

"They did it!" Simon heard Dave yell and there was a high pitched whimper as if someone had just been bumped awake.

There was a murmur that Simon couldn't understand, and then the sound of someone coming up the stairs. Simon quickly put his head in his pillow and flipped the blanket off of himself – the normal way he slept.

Simon felt someone set something on the bed next to him and the blanket was pulled over himself and whatever had been set down.

"Go back to sleep, Alvin." He heard the name and took in a sharp breath. But then mentally slapped himself for it, because Dave paused at the door and Simon held his breath.

Dave stood there for a few seconds and Simon thought his heart was going to explode from the tension in the room, but Dave just shook his head and walked back down the stairs.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind Dave, Alvin sat up and he shook Simon to wake him. But, Simon was already awake and he sat up before Alvin could touch him. "What's going on?" Simon asked as he grabbed his glasses and placed them on his nose. The room was thrown into sharp focus and he grinned when he saw the happy shine in Alvin's eyes.

"I heard it all! Dave thought I was asleep, but I was acting!" Simon didn't say anything as he waited for Alvin to explain all. "The Sons of Liberty dumped all the British tea into the harbor!" Alvin exclaimed happily, only to be shushed by Simon a few seconds later. Dave and Marie were only downstairs and the walls were thin.

When Simon's keen ears picked up no sound of stomping feet on the stairs he looked back at Alvin. "They did?!" He asked, his eyes flashing in the moonlight. Alvin nodded happily and he ginned hugely when he saw Simon's face split into a smile.

--

The silence in Theodore's house was silenced quickly when the front door slammed open and a small messenger boy came running in. He managed to get all the way up the stairs, dodging around many of the help as they tried to stop him, and he slipped past Theodore's room just as the boy stuck his head out the door.

The green night clothed boy slipped out of his room when he saw the messenger skid around the corner, toward his father's room, and padded after. But he didn't get the chance to turn the corner because his father's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"WHAT?!"

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**Hmm... Is Mr. Kingston happy, or mad? Cause you know, that can be a happy "WHAT?!" It doesn't always have to be bad. **

**Well, I guess you'll find out next update!**

**Please review! I'll update faster if you do! **


	4. Tea in the Harbor

**A/N: Nothing much to report, except don't expect an update on Bad Luck Days for a while. I'm focusing on this story at the moment.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Look back. **

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_The green night clothed boy slipped out of his room when he saw the messenger skid around the corner, toward his father's room, and padded after. But he didn't get the chance to turn the corner because his father's voice stopped him in his tracks._

"_WHAT?!"_

_--_

Suddenly, Paul Kingston ran out of his room, his long night shirt blowing out behind him as he flew around the corner, almost running Theodore down. The small boy stepped to the side at the last second and his father bypassed him without a second thought, pausing only to make sure that he didn't slip while running around the corner.

He jumped down the stairs, taking them two at a time before continuing to run toward his study, his feet slapping on the floor as he went.

Theodore moved to follow, but a voice behind him called to him, so cold that it made his feet freeze where they were.

"What are you doing out of bed?!" His foster mother screeched as she grabbed him by the ear. "Go back to sleep!" She threw him back into his bedroom and slammed the door shut. Theodore listened to her soft footfalls on the floor as he rubbed his throbbing ear and he moved back toward the door when he was sure she was far away.

He opened it a crack and almost jumped backward when he noticed the messenger boy standing on the other side, looking at him intently.

He was on of the bigger lad, about a good foot taller than Theodore and he had blond hair and striking brown eyes. They held a dept that could only mean that he had seen too many horrible things in his short life and he couldn't possibly forget them all.

"Hello." The boy said as he squinted at Theodore. The green clad chipmunk jumped backward at the sudden voice and he nearly fell to the floor.

"Woah." The boy said as he pushed through the door to make sure Theodore was okay. "Are you alright?"

Theodore nodded slightly as he moved backward a few steps, wary of this child who invaded his personal space so easily.

"I've never been this close to a chipmunk before." The boy mumbled as he reached out a finger to poke Theodore to make sure he was real.

"Do not touch me." He said, his temper flaring in a rare instance. He was usually a quiet, lovable child, who always saw the bright side in things, but he was tired and his boy was out of line.

The boy pulled his hand away like he had been slapped and he looked shocked. "I've never heard a voice like that." Theodore groaned. Of all the things he could say, _that_ was the best he could come up with?

He made a rude noise in the back of his throat and moved toward bed. "Please leave. I need to get back to sleep."

The boy shook himself out of his daze and looked around, really noticing his surroundings for the first time. "Oh, I apologize." He then backed out of the room without another word.

--

"Awake, Simon!" Alvin exclaimed the next day, shaking Simon as he pulled on his oversized red shirt. It fell just below his knees and both elbows were patched. His pants were in similar condition with both knees patched up after too much bending and sliding across the floor. His hat, just like Simon's, used to be his grandfather's and had been stretched to its limits a while ago. It had been a pleasant surprise when he realized that he and Simon had the same grandfather and they both had a piece of him.

Simon groaned and rolled over, pulling the large blanket over his head as he went. "No."

Alvin sighed as he slipped his shoes on over his small toes and he snatched the blanket away. "We're going to the harbor." He announced as he grabbed Simon's feet and pulled him off the bed. Simon made a small _oof_ as he hit the floor but he didn't move once the pain has dissipated. "Wake. Up." Alvin huffed as he tried to sit Simon up. Simon didn't react to his change in position and continued to snore.

Eventually, Alvin managed to get Simon up on his feet. The small bespectacled boy swayed and almost fell but Alvin propped him up against the bed. He then ran down the stairs and out the door to grab a few clumps of snow that littered the street; he ran back up the stairs and threw the snow at Simon who bolted awake at the sudden cold.

"Gah!" He yelled as he swiped the snow away. He didn't say anything to Alvin as he glared before closing his eyes to get some more sleep. Alvin, anticipating this held the dripping snow still in his hands over Simon's head and let it drip slowly onto his head.

Simon reached a hand up to wipe it away, but it managed to get under his hair and he couldn't reach it. It flowed slowly toward his forehead and he glared at Alvin again.

"Get rid of that. I'm awake." Alvin smiled and happily obliged by throwing the snow out the window. He heard the screech of a stray cat and chuckled slightly when he realized that he had just given it an unexpected bath.

Simon silently pulled on his clothes and didn't say a word as he took off down the stairs, leaving Alvin behind. Alvin quickly ran after his twin and he skidded to a stop when Simon froze on the stairs.

"Did you say we're going to the harbor?" He asked as he spun around, the words just now sinking in.

Alvin nodded and a smile grew on Simon's face. He then spun back around and jumped down the stairs. He ran into the kitchen and saw that Marie was also up. She was moving gracefully around the kitchen, her skirt swishing around her ankles as she went.

"G'morning boys." She greeted when she saw them standing there, side-by-side. She studied them for a second; it still amazed her that they looked so alike. "Dave went home, Alvin, but he didn't want to wake you."

Alvin nodded and smiled at Marie. "We're going to walk around town."

Marie almost dropped the bowl she was holding as she spun around to look at them, "Do_ not_ go near the harbor. There are British soldiers everywhere."

Simon cut a sharp look at Alvin when Marie turned back around and Alvin shrugged in response.

They both grabbed one of the rolls cooling on the table for breakfast and quickly slipped out the door before Marie could stop them.

They rushed their way down the street, careful to dodge around all the people walked in the opposite direction. They didn't pay any mind to the two boys darting around them and each other, moving in synch as they ran nimbly through the crowd.

When Alvin and Simon finally arrived at the water's edge, gasping for breath, they both looked shocked. Almost the whole town was here; many were fishing some of the tea out of the harbor, taking advantage of the free-for-all, while others were in small boats, beating the tea bags senseless so they couldn't be stolen and used.

Simon watched as a woman walked away, her arms full with dripping tea bags. Her dress was getting stained brown, but she didn't seem to notice as she marched toward the road, her mind spinning around the idea of fresh tea for the next few days.

Alvin moved forward to grab one of the tea bags, but Simon called him back. Alvin glanced at him and kept going, but he did something that Simon didn't expect when he grabbed the bag and chunked it into the water.

Alvin moved back toward Simon and they watched as most of the townsfolk were herded away by soldiers in red uniforms. They completely ignored the two small chipmunk boys with patched clothing when they noticed that they weren't trying to steal the tea like everyone else.

"What do you suppose will happen now?" Simon asked as he kicked some of the gravel around his feet.

Alvin didn't reply, because he had spotted something in the distance and he was frozen, only his eyes moving as they followed the small shape as it bobbed around a large man's knees.

Simon followed his brother's gaze and he took in a sharp breath as he recognized the small boy that Alvin was staring at.

_Theodore_

Sharp memories flooded Simon's awareness, but he pushed them away when he noticed that the small, green-clad boy was moving toward them. He was skipping happily down the shore, the feather stuck in his green hat bobbing behind him. He was looking out at the water, fascinated as he watched one of the many men out there beat another tea bag until it exploded.

Alvin moved forward, not really intending to and Simon grabbed his shoulder to hold him back. Alvin's head snapped around and he looked at Simon, his blue eyes flashing dangerously in the early morning sun. Simon shook his head and whispered quietly.

"Let him find us." Alvin nodded in agreement after a few seconds of contemplation and he moved back to stand where he had been before, turning to look back out at the water, glancing out of the corner of his eyes every few seconds to make sure that Theodore was still on his predicted path.

Suddenly, Theodore's head whipped around and he froze when he saw them standing there. His green eyes filled with an unexpected emotion and he watched his brothers for a few seconds before running toward them, careful to make sure his approach was accepted by the other two.

When he finally stopped, a few feet in front of his brothers, Theodore's eyes welled with tears when he saw the way they automatically accepted him. They didn't need to say anything, just looked at each other, happy to have found each other again.

Finally, Alvin broke the silence, his high pitched voice cracking as he spoke, "Theodore." He bit his lip as he uttered the word and Theodore's eyes finally shed the tears that had built up. His emerald eyes glowed when he noticed that his brothers were holding back tears as well. They weren't upset, sad, or even tears meant for anger; only happiness. All three quickly embraced each other, happy to be together again after all those years.

"How you been, little brother?" Alvin asked as he clucked Theodore lightly on the nose.

Theodore shrugged slightly, taking in their patched clothing and small stature that only the people with malnutrition had. He suddenly felt really horrible that he had been living in the lap of luxury while his brothers had been struggling to survive.

Simon noticed Theodore's sudden mood change and he knelt down in front of his smaller brother. "We don't blame you." He said as if reading Theodore's mind. "We did not get to chose who we were adopted by."

Theodore sniffed slightly before looking back up at his brothers. He smiled radiantly and nodded. "Tell me everything!" He exclaimed after a few seconds of silence. Alvin and Simon both broke out in smiles as well and they nodded before taking turns tell their life stories.

When it was Theodore's turn, he gave vague details, not wanting to let on to his brothers how pampered he was. They listened with fascination clear on their faces, curious as to how the other half lived, but when Theodore finished with: "In lessons I'm learning how to read," they looked disappointed from the lack of information.

They sat in silence for a minute before a sly look came over Alvin's face. He jumped up before either of his brothers could stop him and ran toward the water. There, he threw off his shoes and jumped in; creating a tidal wave that soaked Simon to the bone while only splashing Theodore a tad bit.

Simon grumbled before attempting to wipe away some of the water on his glasses with his already wet sleeve. He sighed when he noticed that he only caused streaks that would make it even _harder_ for him to see.

Theodore's face took on a determined look and he threw off his shoes and hat before following Alvin. He then proceeded to chase Alvin around among the tea bags and water. Alvin ran only fast enough so Theodore couldn't catch him, but slow enough so that the boy wouldn't be undeterred.

Simon chuckled slightly at his brothers' behavior before quickly diving in himself, careful to leave his glasses and shoes beside his brothers'.

They played like this for several minutes, splashing each other with as much as possible but avoiding the tea bags floating here and there. By the time they were finished, all three were soaked to the bone and they fell onto the bank, exhausted.

All three examined the sky as they breathed heavily. After a while, Theodore's eyes started to droop and he had to hold them open wide to stay awake.

Alvin popped Simon in the side of the head and pointed up at the sky. "Look, a cow." He said as he pointed at one of the clouds that floated lazily across the sky.

Simon rolled his eyes and closed his eyes again, trying to rest after their escapade in the water. Theodore studied the cloud Alvin had pointed at and his eyes drifted off to the side a little. He poked Simon in the side and the bespectacled boy lolled his head to the side lazily to look at him. "That one looks like my bunny." He pointed up at a cloud and Simon watched it carefully. He opened his mouth to reply, but something stopped him.

"Theodore!" A deep voice barked. All three boys bolted upward and Theodore cringed when he saw who was calling him.

"Yes, Father?" He asked as he stood up, dusting the sand off his hat as he went.

"What have I told you about associating with _peasants_?" He spat out the last word like it was a curse, and grabbed Theodore roughly by the arm.

Theodore flinched at his father's rough tone and he looked back at his brothers, apologizing with his eyes.

"Listen to me when I'm talking to you, child." Paul Kingston shook his son roughly before dragging him away. "You better watch your movements carefully. You may not be heir for much longer."

Theodore allowed himself to be pulled away but he looked back at his brothers and waved halfheartedly. Then, the meaning of his father's words stuck home and looked back toward him, missing Alvin and Simon's waves back. "… You mean…?"

Paul smirked when he saw that he had Theodore's undivided attention. His next words were crystal clear and they echoed across the beach with so much malice that both Alvin and Simon flinched when they heard them. "That's right. You're mother's pregnant."

Theodore's eyes widened as he connected the dots quickly, his mind spinning from his revelation. If Rosemary was pregnant, and it was a boy, Theodore would still be heir… but if his father took legal – or illegal – action that would quickly change. He would no longer have a future, or even somewhere to live.

Neither would his brothers.

Whilst Alvin and Simon had been splashing him senseless, Theodore had managed to get a few glimpses of their ribs as their shirts stuck to their bodies, and he had seen the way that Alvin had favored his right foot over his left, the way that Simon's left hand shook slightly when he was standing still.

His brothers had lived rough lives, and he had decided, at that moment, that once he inherited his foster parent's estate at sixteen, he would make their futures brighter. Take care of them the way he had been taken care of…

But, if he wasn't the heir, his brother would continue to live in poverty…

And so would he…

With these thoughts racing through his head, Theodore scrambling back into his father's carriage and sat tight lipped on the seat as the bounced their way back to the house. He resolved right then to keep his foster parents happy so could ensure his brothers a happy future.

**

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Review! Please review!


	5. Crying in the Storm

**Well, I'm on a roll right now. Let's hope I can keep this up. I think it has something to do with all those reviews I got yesterday... *Wink Wink***

**Disclaimer: Ch. 1 **

**Enjoy! **

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"Hello." Theodore greeted as he marched his way into the secret meeting place he had set up with his brothers the next day. Both looked up at him before glancing away and back at their feet. They were still a little shocked from the way Theodore's adoptive father had spoken to him but they both were still too uneasy about the subject to talk about it.

Theodore stood anxiously when neither of his brothers replied, but he didn't do anything to break the awkward silence that settled over their small meeting.

They were crouched in one of the caves that riddled the coastline around Boston. This one held no water like the others and Alvin had managed to find it a few years ago when he was a young boy.

Theodore moved toward one of the walls, his shoes clicking across the floor as he walked.

"How are things at home?" Alvin asked suddenly, glancing up at Theodore.

Theodore winced unwillingly and Simon and Alvin chose to ignore it out of sympathy. "Rosemary is getting testy." He answered as he walked back toward his brothers.

There was an awkward pause as all three contemplated what to say.

Finally, Simon started up on a story about Marie. It was a humorous one and he predicted that it would make Theodore feel better.

It did what he hoped and soon Theodore was sharing a funny story about his own family. Alvin took a turn next and then all three tossed out stories left and right, small tidbits of their lives that the other two had missed.

They did this well into the afternoon, concentrating on only the good and not the bad.

--

_**NINE MONTHS LATER **_

--

The next few months moved in quick succession with Alvin and Simon meeting Theodore in the cave every three days for updates on Rosemary and the pregnancy.

About three months after that fateful meeting on the beach, Dave lost his job, but only a week later, he got a different one at the harbor. He was one of the many men that helped load boxes onto the ships. It was a dangerous job and many a man had lost his life when the fragile rope that held the boxes up snapped and sent the heavy thing crashing onto his head.

Dave assured Marie, Simon, and Alvin that the job was only temporary until he could find something safer, and he would be sure to keep out from under the boxes as much as possible.

A few weeks later, Marie, not wanting to condemn Alvin to a life of hard work and impossible jobs, decided to start teaching the small red clad boy to read. Alvin was slow at learning, sometimes skipping lessons entirely, electing instead to go horse around with Simon in the snow while it was still on the ground.

But, soon, the snow melted and Alvin was forced to stay inside the house because of the heat. He only owned two sets of clothes, both made for winter, and Dave was frightened that Alvin would be struck down by a heat wave if he ran around in those clothes.

Marie, seizing opportunity, offered to sew him a new set of lighter and thinner clothing for the warmer months. But, since Alvin didn't have the same measurements as Simon, she had to measure him at each step of the process. So, he was condemned to sitting in her library while she sewed. Marie would then force Simon to teach him to read. It was a simple process that she secretly noticed the two boys enjoyed.

While his brothers were enjoying their lives, Theodore was miserable. He responded to his stepmother's every beck and call and did the most outrageous chores. Sometimes, a few of the servants took pity on him and helped, but most times, he was left on his own. He shuddered every time he recalled an incident involving hoof clippers and the family dog's toenails.

But, he bit his lip every time she introduced a new version of his self-chosen sacrifice. If doing these outrageous things brought his brothers to the house when he hit sixteen, it was worth it.

The summer months passed slowly mainly because of the stifling heat that settled over the city. Even with the ocean so near, it was smoldering. Alvin and Simon weren't allowed outside during July and August, and even Rosemary let up on the chores involved with the outside world when she noticed how Theodore shied away from the windows and doors.

When August hit, Rosemary was as bloated as a head of cattle and Theodore had a fun time guessing how much she would fetch at a sale if she actually were a cow.

Theodore's adoptive mother was almost positive that she was carrying a boy, but every night, Theodore prayed that it wasn't. He didn't know what would happen if the baby _was_ a boy and he didn't plan that far ahead. Plus, he figured being a big brother would be fun. In his biological family, he was the youngest, and he wondered what it was like. If the child was a boy, he didn't know if he could be a decent brother knowing that this baby was the one that kicked his _real_ brothers out of a solid future.

The boys' tenth birthday came and went. Simon and Alvin got to celebrate together while Theodore resolved to have a silent party in his head. His parents didn't keep track of the date anymore; they were too wrapped up in preparation for their new baby. Theodore was just a presence that didn't matter any longer. He was just there to serve them and make their lives comfortable. He owed them anyway, they thought, they did adopt him after all.

But, that late August day happened to be one of the days that the boys decided to meet. Simon and Alvin had predicted that Theodore's day would be a whole lot more depressing than theirs and they had a surprise waiting for him when he came walking up slowly.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Theodore jumped when many voices, high pitched and low, screamed at him from inside the cave.

He stepped forward after he got over his shock and was greeted with a huge hug from his brothers. "How does it feel to be ten?" Alvin asked as he rubbed Theodore's head. Theodore had decided to leave his hat at home, mainly because the feather had baked in the hot sun, but other than that, he was in his normal clothing. Alvin and Simon were dressed in new clothes with no patches or tears. They both still elected to wear their hats, but their hair had grown in those short nine months since Theodore had met them.

"Not that different," Theodore admitted as he walked into the cave. Two adults were standing there, a man a woman with similar features. The man was holding a huge cake in his hands while the woman had a knife and plates.

"This is Marie," Simon introduced as he gave her a quick hug, "She adopted me."

"And this is Dave," Alvin did the same and made Dave almost drop the cake, "he took me away from you. I still haven't forgiven him for that." He added the last sentence playfully and Dave clocked him on the head with his elbow as he set the cake on the ground for Marie to cut.

"Nice to meet you," Theodore greeted as he watched Marie cut the cake with precision.

"Hm," She mused quietly as she looked at the three boys in front of her. "It seems we have a problem. There are three birthday boys and only one first piece…" She trailed off, giving Dave a strange sideways look.

Alvin and Simon looked at each other before smiling.

"Alvin was born first," Simon began.

"But, we think Theodore should have the first piece." Alvin finished as he pushed the smallest brother forward.

Theodore blushed slightly but took the cake willingly. He didn't touch it until everyone else had a piece though and together, all five gulped it down like they hadn't eaten in weeks.

--

Three days later, Theodore sighed as he turned over in bed. He had met with his brothers again today. Both were looking better than ever. Dave's new job paid better than the others, but he had decided to sell his house and move in with his sister and nephew in the library. They had more than enough room and with the extra money, he was able to buy more food than usual.

They were thriving and Theodore couldn't have been happier for them, but he was starting to feel like an outsider around them.

Both were very close, and they had this hidden relationship that Theodore could only wish to develop with one of them. But, that was to be expected, especially since they lived together. They could now spend every waking minute with each other and neither one ever went anywhere without the other.

Sometimes, he wished he could run away from this dreadful place with Rosemary and her chores, Paul and his anger, and go live with them in the library. Marie and Dave were very nice people and they had taken a quick liking to Theodore in those short two hours they had spent with him on his birthday.

He sighed and turned over in his bed. He had too many thoughts swirling around his head to sleep and he had accepted that hours ago, but that didn't mean that he had to like it.

He tossed again, but didn't get into dreamland like he wanted.

He spent the next thirty minutes counting the imaginary sheep that jumped over his bed and was on the brink of a light sleep when the door to his house slammed open and he leaped upward.

He mumbled a sentence under his breath about sheep sabotaging his sleep by slamming doors and crawled out of bed to see what the commotion was about.

There was stomping down the hall toward his adoptive parents' room so he headed that way.

"The baby's coming!" He heard Paul's voice tell someone, "He's finally almost here!"

Theodore pressed himself against the wall and sucked in a breath through his nose. This was it; this was the deciding moment for his and his brother's future. His stomach did a few flip-flops as he walked away to sit on the stairs. He didn't want to be too close, but he knew he would never be able to fall asleep now.

--

Theodore was jolted awake by someone pounding on the door. He rubbed his eyes and slowly stood, cracking his back where he had been leaning on the stairs. He looked between the rails at the door to see if one of the servants had gotten it, but it seemed like there was no one around. _They must all be attending to Rosemary_, he thought to himself as he made his way down.

He reached for the doorknob, getting ready to fling the thing backward and stop the relentless knocking that came from the other side, but a deep voice stopped him.

"Theodore!" Paul's voice stopped Theodore's hand in its tracks and he froze. "You know you're not supposed to open the door without an adult, son." His voice was a lot calmer than Theodore expected and he looked up at Paul. The man had a happy light in his eyes and a skip in his step. Either the baby hadn't been born yet or it was a boy. Theodore wasn't sure which one, but he hoped it was the former.

"Let me get it." Paul flung the door open, "Hello, how may I help you-?" His voice fell on the last word and Theodore peaked around the doorframe to see who it was.

Alvin was standing there, wringing his hat between his hands. There were tears running down his face and he looked hopefully up at Paul.

"May I see Theodore? It's an emergency."

Paul scoffed in the back of his throat. "Why would my son want to see you? You're nothing but a peasant." He moved to close the door but Alvin looked desperate.

"Please?!" He yelled out as he threw himself through the crack before it was closed all the way. Water dropped from his clothing and Theodore chanced a glance through a nearby window; sure enough, it was raining. "I _need_ to see Theodore _NOW!" _

Theodore took evasive action and jumped in front of Paul before the man could throw Alvin out. He opened his mouth to say something, but a screech from upstairs interrupted him.

"PAUL!" Rosemary's voice was filled with pain and Paul glanced up at the stairs before looking back at the two boys in front of him.

"What is the meaning of this?!" He demanded as he glared down at Theodore and the similar looking boy beside him.

Theodore wasn't listening. He looked up at Alvin's face and leaped into his brother's arms without warning. Alvin accepted the hug, sensing that it was more for his own benefit that Theodore's.

"What's the matter?" Theodore asked as thunder cracked outside.

"D-Dave," Alvin stuttered out as he started to tremble, more from fear than cold.

Theodore didn't need to hear anymore. He ran past his adoptive father and up the stairs. He slid into his room and pulled on some clothes as quickly as possible. He elected to ignore the expensive jacket and chose simple pants and a thin shirt that would dry quickly after he ran through the rain. He grabbed his shoes in his hands – they weren't made for running – and jumped down the stairs. He was back in two minutes.

Paul was standing in the same spot, looking dumbfounded at his son's quick movements and reaction.

"What is going on here?!" He demanded as Theodore grabbed Alvin by the arm and led him through the door. Alvin's tears had since dried, but he looked ready to burst again at any moment.

"My brother needs me," Theodore answered as he slipped out the door. Upstairs, Rosemary called out again for her husband.

Paul grabbed Theodore's arm before he could get too far. Theodore looked back to yell at him to let go, but he froze when he saw the evil face his father was making. "If you leave, you better start hoping that baby is a girl."

Theodore wrenched his arm away and he stumbled before taking off after Alvin. They ran down the long dirt road that led to Theodore's house, getting soaked in the process while lightning flashed above them.

Theodore paused at the end; above the wind and rain, he could almost swear he could hear a baby crying…

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**Gasp! I actually did a cliffhanger! How often do you see those from me?! **

**Aren't I eeeeeeeeeviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil?!**

**Please review! They make me write faster and I just might update in the next five days! **


	6. Running in the Rain

**Well, here's the next chapter. See? I told ya that I would update if I got a lotta reviews and boy did I get a lot! Thank you to everyone who reviewed! **

**This chapter is short, I know. It only took me about two hours to write which is a record in my book. It's so small mainly because it's the bridge between the last chapter and next. I can't exactly call it a filler because it gives you some good information, but it's not exactly a full blown chapter. **

**Well, enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: ****Alvin, Simon, Theodore, and David Seville belong to Ross Bagdasarian, but Marie Seville and Paul and Rosemary Kingston do belong to me, along with the plot to this story.**

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Theodore and Alvin plowed through the streets, not pausing for anyone or anything. Not that there was anyone on the streets at this time of night, but every once in a while, Alvin or Theodore would find themselves vaulting over something.

Theodore's feet were torn and bleeding by this time, but he didn't think about that. Something was wrong with Dave and _Alvin_ had come to _him_. It was obvious that whatever it was was serious and Alvin wanted his whole family around him.

They rounded a corner and Alvin came to a slow stop in front of him. Theodore didn't recognize where they were, but he assumed that they were close if Alvin chose to stop here.

Alvin looked at Theodore once before wrapping his arms around his middle. Water streamed down his face and over his eyes, but he didn't seem to care as he slid slowly to the ground. He was crying again, but Theodore could hardly tell because the rain was blending with his tears.

"It's all my fault," The distraught boy mumbled to himself as he rocked back and forth. "If I had pushed harder for Dave to get a different job, none of this would've happened."

Theodore's head spun as he watched his eldest brother slowly sink lower so he was lying on his side. What was going on? Something with Dave's job?

Theodore's brain knocked around inside his skull as thunder boomed around him and he felt his ears pop when lightning flashed a few seconds later. He quickly knelt in front of Alvin and grabbed him by the shoulders.

Hauling his brother into a sitting position, Theodore looked him straight in the eye and spoke, "Where was Dave working?"

Alvin's hooded eyes held nothing but sadness and grief. He glanced up only briefly and his blue eyes flashed when lightning lit up the sky again before mumbling a reply, "The docks."

Theodore let go of Alvin like he had been shocked. He stumbled backward as all the worst possible situations whirled around his head. He had been to the docks many times, mainly because Paul owned a shipping company, and he had seen a few men be hurt there.

He bit his lip and pushed the scenarios down; this was no time to be thinking things like that. Alvin needed him; the way he slumped made Theodore think of one of the many vagabonds that littered the streets.

He looked like he had lost all purpose in life, all his will to live.

Theodore didn't think past those words before grabbing Alvin by the arm. He forced his brother into a standing position and started to stumble his way in the direction that Alvin had been heading before his breakdown.

He swallowed when a gust of wind blew up suddenly, almost making them fall and sent up a silent prayer to whoever was listening to send someone to guide them the rest of the way. He had no idea where he was going, and, he glanced over at Alvin, his brother was in no shape to help.

--

Theodore took in a deep breath as he set Alvin on the ground an hour later… had it only been an hour? It seemed longer than that. The rain hadn't let up any, and both were exhausted. Theodore glanced over his shoulder, wondering how long it would be until Paul came looking for him; he could only be distracted by his new baby for so long…

Theodore felt Alvin shudder beside him and he glanced down. Alvin hadn't moved from the heap Theodore had placed him in, but he was soaked to the bone, they both were. Alvin shivered again and let himself fall all the way forward.

Theodore's eyes widened in alarm and he knelt down beside Alvin. The boy didn't respond when Theodore shook a bit so he flipped him over.

"Alvin!" Theodore yelled out over the wind as he slapped his brother lightly on the face. He got no response.

The green clad boy placed his hand on Alvin's forehead and almost jerked it back in shock. He was burning up! Alvin wasn't in the right condition to travel. Why did he come running for him when he knew he was sick?

But, wait, what if Alvin hadn't been sick when he had set out? He had been probably too distraught to think about a possible illness when running in the rain. Theodore placed his hand back on Alvin's head and nodded to himself.

Alvin wasn't ready to travel but it was obvious that he couldn't lie out in the rain. He would fall asleep and that would be the end of it.

"Theodore!" The voice called over the wind and Theodore's head whipped upward. He sighed when he saw Simon's body silhouetted when a thunderbolt flashed overhead.

The bespectacled boy rushed up to them and knelt down beside Theodore. "What's wrong?" He beseeched as he helped Theodore pick Alvin up. They both had a silent agreement that Alvin had to be moved as fast as possible, but the red clad boy wasn't going to help any.

All three stumbled along as Theodore explained what had happened to him in the past two hours. Simon winced when he heard about Paul's threat but Theodore plowed ahead without pause. There was no time for that now.

And, as luck would have it, just as Theodore reached the end of his story, they arrived at the library. Theodore took it in with one glance. He didn't have time for more as Simon pulled him and Alvin toward the door.

Marie was standing at the threshold with towels and blankets. She fussed over them like only a mother could and carefully helped Alvin up the stairs.

When she came back down, Theodore and Simon were warmer and a little drier. Simon sneezed slightly and Marie immediately pointed at the stairs. He shook his head but did as she said, pausing to give Theodore a hug.

"Thank you," He mumbled as he mussed Theodore's hair, "Alvin probably wouldn't have made if without you."

Theodore shrugged off his thanks, "He's my brother too," was his only reply as he sank lower into his chair.

Simon smiled and nodded before moving toward the stairs.

When he was safely out of earshot, Theodore looked up at Marie.

"What's going on?" He hissed out as he watched Simon disappear. The blue clad boy didn't seem all that upset like Alvin had. Was this whole episode just some delusion Alvin's feverish mind had cooked up?

Marie paused for a beat before sinking into a chair herself, pulling her shawl around her shoulders. "Dave's had an… accident."

Theodore felt himself stiffen, but didn't make himself relax, "at the docks?" He whispered, more to himself than her.

Marie answered anyway, "I'm afraid so. One of the ropes holding the boxes of cargo snapped and, thank goodness, he managed to dive out of the way," Theodore nodded at her to continue when she paused for his reaction. "But, his foot got caught," She wiped her eyes, "It crushed all the bones in his foot. The doctor is amputating it tomorrow."

Theodore remained stony faced as he watched the empty fireplace. A broken bone was a serious thing, but _all_ the bones in his foot? Dave wouldn't be able to do anything for the rest of his life.

His breath caught. What about his brothers and Marie? No one would be working except for Marie in the library and she only made enough to support two people. How would Dave and Alvin get along?

His head spun as he comprehended this new information. Alvin would surely have to start working now; just to pay for Dave's medical bills, he would have to labor for at least a month. Simon would probably offer to help make the money and then they would both probably get the most dangerous job someone could think of, mainly because of their young age.

He shook his head, trying to get rid of the images of his brothers losing fingers to farming equipment and boxes squashing them like bugs. He wouldn't allow this to happen, not to his brothers.

His green eyes sparked as he watched Marie rock in her chair. She looked so unsure about what was happening. She kept glancing toward the stairs and back at Theodore. She looked older now, like the whole world was resting on her shoulders.

"It's late," She began as the clock over the fireplace chimed two times. "Why don't you crawl into bed with your brothers? You can't go back out in this weather; we'll get you back home in the morning."

Theodore nodded and thanked her before taking his leave. He took the stairs slowly, pausing at the top while he determined which way he was supposed to go.

"Theodore?" He looked to the left and saw Simon standing in his night shirt, watching him carefully. Theodore smiled and Simon's expression softened.

Simon held his left arm out and Theodore walked over into his one armed hug. Simon lent Theodore one of Alvin's older night shirts to wear, for his other clothes were still damp and they both crawled into bed.

This time, Theodore slipped right into dreamland, only pausing long enough to let his head drop to the pillow.

* * *

**Well, there you go. **

**Okay, I know you must all be thinking: "Amputation is a bit extreme, don't you think?" Well, not really. At least, not for this time period. Back then, they didn't exactly have casts or things like that. It was either you get it amputated or let your bones set the wrong way and live in pain and agony for the rest of your life. I think Dave would go with the smarter choice and get it taken off… But that's just me. **

***Laughs evilly* You still don't know the gender of Theodore's new sibling! Haha! Don't I just irk you?**

**Well, if you review, you won't have to wait much longer. As soon as I get my third review I'll start writing the next one! So, get reviewing! **

**REVIEW! **


	7. Waking up in the Library

**No Author's Note; just read it. **

**Disclaimer: Alvin, Simon, Theodore, and David Seville belong to Ross Bagdasarian, but Marie Seville and Paul, Rosemary, and Kingston **_**do**_** belong to me, along with the plot to this story.**

* * *

Theodore had a fitful sleep, filled with night terrors and horrible images. He tossed and turned all night, hitting Simon in the head multiple times with flailing limbs.

When he woke, Simon was gone and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember what his nightmares had been about.

He carefully made his way down the stairs, trying to keep from tripping over the huge shirt Simon had lent him. He paused at the bottom when he heard Marie's voice.

"I'm sorry, but he's not here."

Theodore squeezed his eyes shut as he waited for the person she was talking to to answer.

"I know he's here." Theodore clapped his hands over his mouth to keep in the squeak that had bubbled to the surface; that was Paul's voice!

Theodore quickly ducked backward and back up the stairs. He tip-toed his way back up into the room he had just evacuated. What was Paul doing here?!

He walked backward into the room, not really watching where he was going and slammed into something soft.

He spun around to see Simon, face down on the floor. He groaned slightly to himself and reached out to grab his hat where it fallen before looking up at Theodore.

The smallest chipmunk smiled weakly before helping Simon to his feet. The bespectacled boy took Theodore's hand willingly and rose to his feet slowly. Theodore opened his mouth to apologize, but Simon held a finger up to his lips before pointing at Alvin's hunched form on the bed.

The red clad boy was lying on his side, shivering slightly as if the thick covers on the bed couldn't keep out all the cold. His forehead was covered in a cold sweat and Simon wiped a cloth across his head before leading Theodore out of the room and across the hall.

Theodore looked at Simon quizzically, implying that he wanted to know how Alvin got into that bed.

Simon sighed and shook his head before starting down the stairs, dragging Theodore down the stairs; the walls up here were thin, and he didn't want to wake Alvin.

Theodore yanked his hand out of Simon's grip and shook his head before pointing at his ear. Simon, not in the mood to play, reached for Theodore's hand again, but the small boy again managed to get away before repeating the process. Simon finally sighed and did as Theodore motioned. He paused and strained his ears to hear around the corner and almost slapped himself for his stupidity.

"_Do you know who I am?!" _A male's voice was low and menacing, but Simon could still hear it with his keen hearing.

"_No, and I suggest you leave before my brother finds out you're harassing me." _Simon bit his lip to keep in the laugh that bubbled to the surface at Marie's bluff. There was no doubt about it, she's was a strong woman that wasn't afraid to take a risk.

Marie's words seemed to do what intended, because the man was silent, grasping for something to say to this. It was a well known fact that if any man, even one of high class, was caught harassing a woman, even one as lowly as Marie, he would be frowned down upon; women were fragile creatures and were to be treated with respect.

There was a slam as Marie closed the door in the man's face and she coughed to cover up the obvious giggles that she had been suppressing the whole time.

Simon paused a moment longer, making sure it was safe to go down before nodding at Theodore. The small boy nodded back, slipped past Simon, and finished going down the stairs.

Marie welcomed him warmly, making sure to not meet his eyes. It was obvious from the way he cautiously avoided the windows that he had heard the exchange she had just participated in but she chose to stay cheery.

"Good morning, boys!" She greeted them happily, making sure to pat Theodore on the head as he passed. He seemed so venerable now, the opposite of the boy she had seen the night before. He looked up at her slowly, a fake smile creeping its way across his face as he tried his best to acknowledge her. "I hope you slept well."

Theodore nodded before walking off aimlessly toward the parlor. He sat himself into Marie's rocking chair and moved it carefully with his feet, not noticing the creaking sounds it made.

Simon and Marie shared a look before Simon made his way toward his brother. "What's bothering you?" He asked quietly as he sat down on the floor in front of the chair.

Theodore's eyes clouded for a moment before he shook his head and looked back at Simon. "I'm afraid."

Simon started at this, moving without thinking. He placed his hands on Theodore's shoulders and looked straight into his eyes, "of what?"

Theodore shook his head, "Nothing. When did Alvin get into the bed?"

Simon blinked at Theodore's sudden subject change, but decided to go along with it. "I moved him this morning. He slept in Dave's bed last night since Dave's still with the doctor and to make room for you."

Theodore nodded, excepting this, and moved onto other things. "Marie is very kind."

Simon shook his head at Theodore's quick changing subjects but nodded in agreement, "I know, we're lucky."

Theodore nodded, "Yes, you are."

Simon sighed, "She said you are welcome here. You can come any time."

Theodore smiled, all ready have determined that this would be his only home if Rosemary's baby was a boy.

The baby! He leaped up without thinking, almost knocking Simon over, and ran up the stairs to put on his regular clothes. He had to get home.

--

Alvin woke to a silent room and he shook his head to dislodge any spare remnants of sleep. He slid out of the bed then, landing on shaking legs. The red clad boy grabbed the bed for support and pulled himself toward the door.

He looked at the cavernous space between the bed and door. On a regular day, it was three simple steps, but today, it was a possible fall-down-without-support-and-not-get-up space.

Alvin took three deep breaths before pushing off from the bed. He stumbled forward, careful to move quickly but with sure footing. He had no idea how sick he was, but it if was interfering with his balance, it was serious.

The still night dressed boy managed it get to the door without falling flat on his face and he moved it way out the doorway, using the frame to keep him upright.

His next obstacle was the stairs. How many times had he run down these things without falling? It seemed like such a long time ago that he had just simply skipped down, but he shook his head to get rid of these traitorous thoughts.

Alvin was an imaginative child, just like every ten year old, and after only a few seconds of looking at the steep decline in front of him did he find the answer to his problem.

He sat down on the top landing, right on the edge of the step and scooted his way to the next one.

This way, with his body lowered, he was less likely to lose his balance and tumble to his death, or so he hoped.

The going was slow, but he managed to get all the way down without killing himself. He pulled himself up to a standing position and clutched his head when a dizzy feeling struck. After a few minutes, the feeling passed and Alvin continued on his way toward the bulk of the library. This was the most likely place Simon would be hiding.

He searched for all of ten minutes before he had convinced himself that he was alone in the library. A new experience for him.

Alvin sighed and made his way toward the kitchen, half hoping that Marie left him something to eat and half wondering if he could keep it down.

--

Simon and Theodore walked in silence. It was still early, so the town was mainly deserted.

Simon snuck a glance at his little brother from under his hat and noticed how down heartened Theodore seemed. He was watching his feet as he kicked a small piece of gravel along the road.

The blue clad boy nudged Theodore slightly, but the smaller child didn't look up. He just kept kicking the rock and, as it seemed, sulking to himself.

Finally, Simon stopped and grabbed Theodore gently by the arm. "Theodore," he started gently as he tried to catch the smaller boy's eye.

Theodore didn't look up. "What?" He asked, his voice thick as if he were trying to keep from crying. Simon bent down so he was at eye level with him and stared at him without blinking. Theodore tried to pull his eyes away, but he found he couldn't; Simon's gray eyes held him there, searching for something in his own green.

Eventually, after what seemed like hours, Simon stood back up and moved forward. Theodore stayed where he was, dumbfounded. He had been expecting Simon to say _something_. Theodore shrugged slightly before shaking his head and running forward to catch up with his brother.

"It's the baby, isn't it?"

_Well, maybe he_ is_ going to say something. _Theodore thought to himself as Simon looked down at him after speaking. Theodore didn't offer any hint of an answer, instead he steered himself forward a little faster while hoping that Simon would let it drop.

"Answer me, Theodore," Simon's tone held no room for arguments and Theodore had no choice but to answer. He _was_ his brother after all.

"A little bit."

That didn't mean he had to be complete about his answer. Plus, when he gave Simon leads, his brother would stop and think, thus making the walk home a little longer and more bearable.

"What else is bothering you?"

Theodore shrugged again, deciding to stay on the same tactic as before. At this rate, he wouldn't be back home until sundown, and he was fine with that.

Simon sighed and sped up. If Theodore wasn't going to give him anything, he wasn't going to try to help.

Theodore didn't offer up anymore information either. He didn't really feel like telling anyone about his family situation yet, not even his brothers. Sure, Simon and Alvin knew about his adoptive parents and how they didn't really pay attention, but they didn't know how he had basically been turned into a slave in the last few months. He never told them about it at their three day meetings, instead of opting to just tell them about Marie and her pregnancy.

This way, they wouldn't feel the need to swoop in and be the great big brothers Simon was trying to be right now; this way, Theodore could keep himself in the good graces of his father and become the good little brother he was attempting to be. He could secure his and his brother's futures as long as he kept Paul and Rosemary happy.

But, if the baby that was born last night was a boy, he would tell his brothers about his situation and let them steal him away from Paul's during the night, or whatever they would do to get him to safety.

And he was sure they would do something, just the way that Simon was trying to get him to give up information on why he was so down was enough to ensure Theodore that Simon would always be there for him.

In fact, just the way that Simon was dealing with all this: finding his lost brothers and then helping them through their problems without even thinking of himself, not mention keeping both Theodore and Alvin from going crazy, made him seem like something out of a fairytale. Simon reminded Theodore a lot of a…

Prince…

Now that he thought about it, Simon displayed all the qualities a monarch possessed. He was kind, fair, and understanding. He helped Theodore figure out his problems and even went so far as to come out in the middle of a storm to get him and Alvin home.

He also had-

"Theodore, we're here." Simon's broke through Theodore's musings and his head snapped up sharply at his words.

He gulped when he saw his huge house looming in front of him. Simon heard the sound, but decided to ignore it as he once gain bent down to look Theodore in the eye.

"I realize that you have to do this, but if anything happens, anything to make you not want to live here anymore, I'm sure Marie, Dave, and definitely Alvin would be happy to have you at the library."

Theodore nodded and looked up at Simon with tears welling in his eyes. He was so frightened of what laid beyond those doors. What if Rosemary's baby was a boy? Would he even have a chance to get away before Paul sent him away to reform school or whatever else the man could think up?

Simon placed a hand on Theodore's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I'll wait here. If anything goes wrong, just yell."

Theodore's throat clogged at how his brother had managed to read his mind. He shook his head a few times while pinching his face up to keep the tears in before leaping into Simon's arms for a hug.

Simon stiffened a little before relaxing into the hug. A few tears managed to breaking away from Theodore's green eyes, but he swiped them away quickly before Simon would notice.

"Thank you." He mumbled as he moved toward the doors, taking a few deep breaths as he did so. He looked back at Simon one more time, for reassurance more than anything else and the blue clad boy smiled before nodding a motioning for him to continue. Theodore nodded before pushing open the door and peeking inside.

The house was silent except for the ticking of the clock in the corner and Theodore swung his head back and forth once before stepping inside.

"Theodore." He froze as his name was called from across the room. It was a female voice and Theodore's eyes widened as he saw Rosemary coming toward him with a small bundle.

It struck him as odd that Rosemary was up and walking so quickly and that she didn't have any ladies following after her. She had made a big deal of hiring dozens of unneeded women to help take care of her child, but none of them were in sight.

She moved toward him with a small figure in her hands, swishing gracefully over the floor. Her face was radiant and she looked just about ready to hug Theodore. Her face was calm though, as if all those months of pregnancy hadn't taken their toll on her at all.

When she finally met him, Rosemary held out the small blanket swaddled thing to him. Theodore gazed down at the most precious face he could image.

The baby's eyes were closed, which helped make it seem even more innocent, and there was a small wisp of blond hair peeking out from under the small hat that was placed on the infant's small head.

"Meet your new baby sister."

* * *

**No Author's Note; just review it. (I'll give you updates on my life next update… whenever that may be.) **

**No, wait, I do have one announcement. I did the commentary for the prolouge of this story and put it up on YouTube. If you have five minutes and want to listen to my random boredom fulled insanity, then go to my profile and click on the link! **

**Review! **


	8. Talking in the Cave

**Hey, guys. What's up? *Scoots toward her protective corner* You're not gonna attack me for not updating are you? You are? Well then, I'll just take this update away and not come back. **

**Oh? So you changed your minds? You're not gonna attack me until you read the chapter? Well, I guess I can live with that. And I guess you can wait for my excuses… They'll make their appearance on the bottom…along with my pleading for you not to kill me. **

* * *

_**SEPTEMBER 2, 1774 (DATE BE IMPORTANT!!)**_

A few days later, Theodore sighed as he watched Rosemary rock his small sibling back and forth. The baby, named Annabelle, had taken to Theodore almost instantly, even though she was still a little too small to really comprehend anything.

But, she had not fussed or cried when Theodore held her for the first time, like she did when Paul held her, and that pleased Theodore greatly.

Even though he would never admit it.

He leaned over on his elbows slightly as he kicked up his legs behind him. Theodore was lying on his stomach in the middle of the parlor. The windows were open and a nice, cool September breeze blew in and ruffled his hair slightly. He was in a pair of shorter pants that fell in the middle of his lower leg, but they still hugged tightly. His shirt was of normal decorum, with as many ruffles one could imagine a small boy wearing, but the sleeves were cut shorter than before and they extended to his elbows instead of all the way down.

So, Theodore was comfortable to say the least, without a single drop of sweat dotting his forehead while he wasn't shivering from the cold. He let his head fall to the floor as he enjoyed one of the last warm evenings in the year.

Theodore felt his eyes drift closed, but they snapped open again as Annabelle let out a shriek that made the small boy's ears ring. His head whipped upward and he saw the small girl balling her eyes out.

Suddenly, her blue eyes swiveled around and they landed on Theodore's own green. Immediately, she stopped crying and…she didn't exactly smile…but Theodore could see that she was happy to see him.

He smiled back at her and pushed himself up to his hand and feet and crawling his way to where she was resting in Rosemary's arms. She gurgled happily when she saw him approach and he held back a laugh.

_Ding!_

Theodore froze when the clock in the other room tolled quietly. He closed his eyes to listen as it chimed another five times.

The green clad boy shook his head to himself as he pushed himself up. It was time to meet his brothers at the cave. He sent one more smile toward Annabelle and looked up at his adoptive father.

Since Alvin's unexpected visit those days ago, Paul had come to accept that Theodore was spending time with his brothers. And he was very supportive of Theodore leaving to meet them.

As long as it was away from him and his image.

Paul nodded at Theodore in permission for him to leave. Theodore nodded back and moved toward the door, but Annabelle let out a cry as she sensed that her older brother was leaving.

Theodore risked one glace over his shoulder as he exited the door. Rosemary was cradling Annabelle trying to get her to calm down while sending Theodore a withering look. It was obvious that she didn't accept Theodore's brothers the same way Paul did, but she let Theodore leave without so much as a comment.

--

"The kid's a girl?" Alvin asked as he threw a rock up at the ceiling. He was lying on his back in the sand of the cave. Dave was still with the doctor and Alvin was feeling a little better than he had a few days ago. Actually, Dave would be coming home today, so Alvin was in a good mood.

Theodore nodded in answer to Alvin's question and rested his head back against the rock wall. There wasn't much else to report and he opened the floor for his brothers to speak.

"Dave is returning this afternoon." Simon remarked as he paced in front of the opening to the cave. "There is also talk of a rebellion against the British. The First Continental Congress is set to meet on the fifth in Philadelphia to speak about the Intolerable Acts."

Theodore lifted his hand and looked up at Simon. "Truly? Well, that's a relief. The port has been closed for some time now, hasn't it?"

Simon nodded gravely. The Intolerable Acts were aimed mainly at Massachusetts in response to the dumping of the tea in the Harbor. One of the Acts – called the Boston Port Act – closed off the Port of Boston until all the money for the damaged tea was paid back to the East India Trading Company and many Bostonians argued that it punished the whole city instead of just the people who committed the act. Another, called the Quartering Act, applied to all the colonies. Simon wasn't really sure what this act said, just that it was about housing British Soldiers.

"I think these acts violate our natural rights," Alvin mumbled under his breath as he threw the rock again. Neither Simon nor Alvin was really affected by the Acts, but they still thought they were wrong. Theodore, on the other hand, was almost directly troubled. Paul's shipping company needed the Port to make money, and if the Port wasn't open, he was sunk.

But, Paul was Loyalist and any talk of rebelling or revolution was discouraged in his house. He needed the British to make money. Plus, he was a British citizen at birth, having come over to the new land with his father when he was twelve. Still, Theodore was openly a Patriot, even around Paul. He wasn't really Paul's son, just adopted, so his morals didn't reply to the young boy.

Suddenly, Alvin sat up and he looked at his brothers. "I saw we go for a walk. We've been sitting here for a half hour. I need to stretch my legs."

Simon and Theodore shared a look and nodded at Alvin in agreement. Alvin jumped to his feet and wiped off the back of his pants before starting for the opening in the cave, his brothers following close behind.

* * *

**Man, tis very short chapter. **

**Not much to this chapter; mainly because I'm getting back into the swing of writing. I've finally come over my writer's block. All that mumbo jumbo about Acts and stuff is important, so just grit your teeth and read it. Also, I would like to say that research blows. I absolutely hate it, so you guys are lucky you even got this chapter today. I almost quit halfway through. **

**Oh, and the speech is slowly starting to fit better… Mainly because we started to read **_**Romeo and Juliet**_** in English… **

**REVIEW and I might update in the next week… **

**Commentary for the rest of Chapter 1 should be up in the next few days on YouTube.**

**Oh, and no excuses here. You got that in the last full Author's Note… **

**REVIEW! **


	9. AN! DON'T KILL ME!

**_Note: This is the same note on Bad Luck Days. If you have already read it, you don't have to again.)_**

**TO: Chipmunk fans on Fanfiction (My readers) **

**FROM: Ashley (Chipmunklover)**

**DATE: June 28, 2009**

**SUBJECT: PLEASE, DON'T KILL ME!! **

**Jeeze, guys. I'm really sorry about this, but, unfortunately, I'm gonna have to put all my Chipmunk stories on hiatus for a little while. **

**You see, for the past few weeks, I've been trying over and over again to write these stories (**_**Bad Luck Days; The Prince, the Pauper, and the Purposeless; Memory Blank**_**) but I keep hitting the worse wall of writer's block in the world. (My last chapter of TPtPatP shows the beginnings of this.) For the longest time I've thought that I was in some kind of writing depression; that, somehow, I had lost my ability to write as well as I used to, but then I got re-obsessed with Danny Phantom. I started a fanfic for that about a week ago, and was able to write exceptionally well. **

**So, for a while there, I thought I was back in the swing of things, but, that was not to be. I managed to write a little bit on the next chapter of Bad Luck Days, but then I got stuck again. **

**My only understanding on this anomaly was what one of my friends told me: **

"_**I don't think that you're in so much of a writing depression as you are burnt out. Things like that do happen from time to time."**_

**(You're awesome Tal!) **

**So, if your guessing what I'm about to say, get ready to facepalm or facevault – depending on your preference. Yes, I'm burnt out on writing Chipmunk fanfics. It wasn't all fanfiction like I originally thought – just this particular fandom. **

**I think another reason for this Writer's block is also because I'm obsessed with too many things right now. Here's the condensed list: **

**Chipmunks**

**Danny Phantom**

**Avatar: The Last Airbender (I'm hoping the live action movie doesn't end up like the Chipmunks one, but I don't have high hopes.) **

**Pokémon**

**Digimon**

**There's probably a whole lot more than that, considering I'm not sure how far gone I am in my Pixar stage yet. **

**(Yes, Pokémon and Digimon made the top five list. Check my YouTube channel if you want proof – under the favs.) **

**Anyway, I'm sorry about this guys. You've all been really supportive this last year. I remember when I first showed up here – still in junior high and not very confident in my writing, but you all helped me become what I am today… A slightly better writer with a lot of new friends. I'm very proud to be apart of this community. (Though I doubt one could call me the Chipmunk community lifeline, or one of the senior members of this fandom – or some of the many uplifting things people have called me in review replies and PMs.) And I look forward to reading everyone else's work out there. I know I'm not a huge reviewer, but I will be trying in the next few weeks. **

**On a good note, I will have a lot of free time to work on the commentary for TPtPatP – Yay! **

**I will be attempting to write on both stories in the next few days, but my focus will be mainly on my Danny Phantom story (**_**Rückkehr **_**– German for "Return"). If you like that awesome cartoon *curses Nick for cancelling it* check it out. **

**And, this note has nothing to do with Kitty Seville's and my story **_**Alllviiin!: Through the Years.**_** We should be updating that one soon. **

**Anyway, I'm rambling now… Please excuse me while I go sit in the 104 degree F Texas weather and play my Game Boy color. (Game: Original Pokémon game: Special Pikachu edition.)**

**That's it. Hope you enjoyed reading my note… and don't want to kill me. Feel free to leave reviews. I'll probably leave this note here when I finally manage to write again; just to prove what a horrible person I am for leaving you all hanging. **

**Anyway, before I go, I must ask that you check out a few people's works. I owe both of these people at least one review, so I'm gonna send you all their way to get them to leave me alone about the reviews for a while… (Kidding guys. You'll get your reviews eventually… Just like I'll write eventually.) **

**Lord Narf  
Mpkio2**

**Catch ya on the flip side! **


	10. Jobs in the Kingston House

**Holy… Guess what…! I'M BACK!!!!!!!**

**I was reading through my reviews for this story just a few hours ago, and I decided that I needed to update… You've all been to kind to me, and I decided to attempt to write something. **

**It actually worked. **

**Now, I'm not gonna say that this is the best chapter in the world, heck, it might be the worst… But, we should all be happy that I managed to update at all; I know I'm staring in disbelief right now… **

**Enjoy… **

**(P.S. No dates at the top of this chapter. I'm too lazy to look up what they should be. Just assume that this is a few days after the end of the last chapter.)**

_--_

"_Theodore, I've noticed recently that since your old nanny started tending to Annabelle, you've been without companionship." _

_Theodore opened his mouth to reply to his father. He did _indeed_ have companionship – in the form of brothers, nonetheless – but, he held his tongue, deciding to see where this conversation was heading. "I have been lonesome," he answered in the gaping pause that followed Paul's sentence. _

_Paul nodded. "I suspected so." He paused, eyeing the child seated before him at the table. "Would you entertain the idea of my getting a servant boy for you?" _

_The green dressed child was taken aback at his father's unusual request, having no idea what was going on. He hadn't expressed desire for a servant, and he knew his father wasn't so keen to observe that his son needed one. How had he come to this conclusion on his own? _

"_He would need to be a boy your age, possibly older…" Theodore's adopted father mused to himself, ignoring the boy's reaction. "It would be best for him to be a chipmunk; you could relate to him more so that way." He looked back at his son; taking the boy's expression as an implied acceptance, he nodded. "Rightly so, I shall call a messenger to start the search. You will have a new servant by week's end." And, with that, Paul Kingston turned on his heel and started toward the door, his mind spinning with details. _

_Almost instantly, Theodore had a sudden realization. "Wait!" Paul stumbled a little as Theodore's high pitched voice permeated his skull, but he turned nonetheless. "If I find a suitable match," Theodore paused, gauging Paul's reaction to his request, "may he be chosen?" _

--

"- unusual dreams while I slumber." Simon finished his sentence and looked over at Alvin. His brother was staring off into the distance, not bothering to even acknowledge that Simon had spoken.

They were walking slowly through downtown Boston and had been on the same path for about half an hour now, and it was getting dark. They would soon have to turn back.

Simon turned to look at Theodore and see if he had been listening, but could tell automatically that the small child had been lost in his own mind as well. The bespectacled chipmunk heaved a sigh but didn't attempt to break his brothers out of their trances.

Suddenly, Alvin shook his head and looked at Simon. "These dreams, did they mayhap have Mother in them?"

Simon nearly fell over when Alvin asked that question. Well, it seemed that the boy actually _had_ been listening.

He shook his head. "They weren't specific. They showed only the forest floor, as if I had laid down and woken up there instead of in bed." He took in Alvin's expression and continued, "Toward the end I would hear a singing voice. I don't much remember Mother's voice, so I can't confirm it was her."

"Strange," was Alvin's only answer. "What do you suspect, Theodore?"

Hearing his name seemed to break the small boy out of his trance and his eyes whipped upward to look at Alvin. "I must apologize. I wasn't listening."

Alvin and Simon shook their heads together, taking in Theodore's bewildered expression before rolling their eyes. Theodore had the tendency to stop paying attention, even more so recently. But, they couldn't exactly blame him; he'd been through a lot.

"Alvin?" They both looked down to see Theodore staring up at them with wide eyes. "Are you still planning on searching for a job?"

Alvin looked taken aback at the sudden subject change, but he recovered quickly. The red suited boy dropped to Theodore's eye level.

"Yes. I must."

Theodore bit his lip and looked his brother in the eye before speaking the words he knew he would soon either come to regret or cherish.

"I might've found one."

--

"Absolutely not!"

"But, Marie! If I do not work, how will we pay for Dave's doctor bills?"

Marie bit her lip, taking her time with her answer. In front of her stood all three boys, each with an innocent expression on their faces. Alvin had just proposed the most outrageous plan ever to her and she was having a hard time accepting.

"We'll find a way." She winced when her voice ripped through an octave, showing her uncertainty.

Alvin smiled at her before grabbing her hand. "I beseech you, Marie. Allow me to do this, and you shall be set for the rest of your life."

Marie shook her head. "You're too proud to be a servant Alvin. Beside, we just got David back. Do you not want to spend some time with him?"

"But I will not be a servant, Aunt. Theodore promised that I would only have to pretend, and I would still be paid."

Marie cast a glance at Theodore and he nodded. "He speaks the truth. I don't much like the idea of servants. He would only have to work when Paul or Rosemary is around. And even then, they do not pay me much mind."

She set each boy with a look that only a well practiced mother could perfect. "That still leaves David, Alvin. What would he think if I let you go off and work while he was still asleep?"

Alvin took the time to think that one over before responding. "Tell him that I am doing this for his and yours and Simon's fates. He will understand." His voice shook a little at the end, but he didn't pay it any mind before turning to Theodore.

"What will I need to bring?"

Theodore shook his head. "I know not. I haven't even gotten the chance to see if you could have the job."

"I will not be the one to tell David about this Alvin. You go upstairs right now and get his permission." Marie planted herself in front of Alvin and glared at him.

He looked up at her. "But the alcohol hasn't worn off has it?"

She shook her head. "Nay. But, no matter how drunk he is, you must speak to him. He will hear you through his haze."

Alvin paused before looking at Simon. The boy sighed, knowing that look and opened his mouth to reply. "The doctor made Dave drunk so he wouldn't feel the pain."

The red suited boy shook his head. "No, I was going to inquire what you thought of all this."

Simon's answer came quickly, as if it were well thought out and prepared. "I do not want you to leave, but I know you must. Beside, I shall still be here; I can watch after Dave and Marie."

Alvin nodded, accepting his brother's offer and agreeing with his statement in one movement. Then, he turned to look at his other brother. "You go and tell Paul that you found someone. I shall be along in a few hours."

Theodore nodded before clasping hands with Alvin. They shook firmly, sealing the deal on Alvin's new job and he nodded once at Simon and Marie before taking his leave, turning on his heal as he went.

"I still don't like this," Marie muttered as she pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders, as if trying to block out the idea of Alvin leaving.

--

"This boy… he won't be trouble, will he, Theodore?" Paul inquired of his adoptive son after the green clad boy issued the news of the newly found servant.

Theodore nodded, "He will be on his best behavior, Father. He needs the money."

Paul seemed content with this answer, and he opened his mouth to start a new topic of discussion, but was interrupted by a knock coming from the door. Theodore's eyes lit up almost immediately, and Paul sighed. "Let us go and greet the new boy."

Theodore was off like a shot, his newly polished shoes squeaking on the floor as he went. Paul walked behind him quickly; lengthening his stride after Theodore managed to wrestle the door open.

"Hello," a high pitched voice came from the door, and Paul helped Theodore pull the door open all the way before he got a good look at the child.

He was a small one, about Theodore's age, but with the tell-tale signs of poverty hanging around him. His patched clothes let off an air of well-worn and his hat was obviously well loved, if the way the boy was clinging it between his hands was anything to go by. His face was turned toward the ground, but Paul recognized him. This was the boy that had shown up – amidst a thunderstorm – the day of Annabelle's birth.

"Good afternoon," Paul greeted, falling into his professional air quickly. "I understand that you want to take up the job of servant to Theodore?"

The boy glanced at Theodore quickly before gazing back up at Paul. "Yes." He answered with an air of finality around his tone. He didn't seem fazed by the fact that this was the same man that had seen him bawling his eyes out days before. In fact, it seemed that that fact almost made the child stronger.

Paul nodded again. "Excellent. You will be living in the servant's quarters right outside the house, and you will remain there until Theodore inquires further into your living arrangements. Since you are young, you will have no uniform to wear, but I expect you to be properly groomed when we are out in public.

"My son has few friends, and I want you to understand that you are to be a companion as well as a servant." He paused to hold up a hand when the boy opened his mouth to speak. "I have no need to know of your situation or background before arriving here. Now that you are under my employ, you will be Theodore's servant and friend. Your family matters are of no interest to me." He added, seeing the way the child had opened his mouth to speak again. He winked once at the new servant before turning.

"Also," Paul called, seeing the boy share a look with Theodore, "you are not to cause any trouble. If you do, I will be forced to punish you. I have no care what you do if you are not causing mayhem, but if you start to be a bother, I will do something about it."

With those final words, Paul continued on his way out of the room, turning sharply to mount the stairs. "Oh, one more thing." He paused with his foot on the first step. "What's your name, child?"

The red clothed child glanced up from where he was lugging a small bag into the house.

"Alvin Seville, sir."

--

**So the Alvin plot arc starts… Let's see how it turns out! *grabs popcorn* **

**Yay for epically short chapters! *brick'd* **

**Anyways… I'm sorry to say that Bad Luck Days will remain on hold for the time being. I'm getting my spark back for this story, and I don't want to push my brain beyond its limit. I'm hoping to update this one at least once every two weeks. (I'm currently juggling two major writing projects with Kitty Seville, and those take up a lot of my time.) **

**So…? How happy are you to see me back? Or, are you all still angry with me for dropping off the edge of the Earth? **

**TELL ME IN A REVIEW! **

**I'm getting back into writing, and reviews always make me happy, but – with my current writing fail – they will make me über-happy. So, when I say review, I mean it!**

**REVIEW PEOPLE! Like, now… **


	11. Meeting New People in the Kingston House

**Hey guys! Thanks for all the reviews! It's wonderful to know that people still read, and for that I'm thankful. **

**Now, ****_please read this before starting the chapte_r****, it be important!**

**From this point forward I will be taking a creative license with this story. Some things will be different from how things were back then – the library itself is a glaring problem on my part. (There weren't huge public libraries just yet, as I have been informed.) Hopefully, I'll be able to keep track of the American Revolution and how far along it is during the story, because it's the backbone of this story. (Eep! Spoilers! **_**Infer what you will…**_**)**

**Also, the chapter structure will be changing because the different plot arcs. My writing style is chaotic and I often get ahead of myself when writing different sections of each chapter. Each chappie will now have (at least) three distinct parts – one for each of the boys. This way, we can get thought process from all three, and I can keep all the arcs straight and distinct. **

**This style will be effect until the end of the Alvin arc; hopefully the Simon and (new) Theodore arcs will have started up by then and we can get some real drama! (Confused yet?) **

**(The arc system I'm using will be explain on the bottom, cause I've already taken up too much space already…) **

**One more thing, _if you review anon_, and want me to reply back, please leave an email address. I can't contact you unless I have an address... -_-**

**Now, enjoy! **

**_Ch. 10 – Meeting New People in the Kingston House (Written while listening to Kawaita Sakebi and Carmelldansen over and over again) _**

**_Warnings: None, but there will be in later chapters._ **

**--**

Alvin was led to the servant's quarters by a stiff butler. The man barely spoke and walked with a straight back and long stride, making Alvin rush to keep up. When they arrived at the building, he grunted in the chipmunk's direction before turning on his heel and stalking back to house.

Alvin sent the man a dark look before casting his eyes over the structure in front of him.

It was run-down, built entirely of rotting wood and had holes that suggested the presence of insects. There were no people around – most the servants were attending to their afternoon jobs – and the place had a haunted air around it. It was obvious that many people had lived here against their will.

Alvin sighed and quickly grabbed his sack, filled with only the bare essentials, before walking inside the open doorway. The inside was just a dreary as the exterior. It was dark with only two windows lining the walls, but all the beds were made. Most looked to be occupied, but there were one or two scattered around that were bare. Alvin moved towards one of these and placed his bag down before sitting down. The mattress was hard, the straw inside either too closely packed or nonexistent, and Alvin cringed at the idea of having to sleep on it every night, wishing for his bed back at the library.

"I wouldn't sit with the idea of that bed. Madam Nite would not take kindly to a boy slumbering in the women's _chamber_."

Alvin was jolted from his musings as a male voice washed through the room. He jumped up and spun around, catching sight of the boy standing in the doorway he had just walked through. He was a taller boy, with blond hair and haunting brown eyes. His face held an expression that was closer to a smirk than a smile, but he looked kind enough.

Suddenly, the boy jerked his head in the direction of the door. "The boy's chamber is in this direction." Then, he turned and walked away, not waiting to see if Alvin followed.

Quickly, Alvin grabbed his bag and darted after the boy, stopping just short enough so he didn't slam into his back.

"I'm Stephen." The child said, as if he sensed Alvin's rush to catch up. "I serve Mr. Kingston as his messenger."

"Alvin," the chipmunk replied, glancing around the room Stephen had just led him to. "I am a new servant."

Stephen nodded. "Master Theodore's?"

Alvin assented the question with a nod of his own, turning his head side to side to catch all corners of the new space.

This room was lighter than the other, and only contained three beds. Only one seemed occupied though, the covers turned over messily and a pillow half hanging off.

"I've been the only one inhabiting this room for some time. It's wonderful to have company."

Alvin didn't reply to the statement, just walked across the room to the bed across from the door. He placed his sack down on top before dropping onto it to test it. It seemed softer than the other in the previous room, and the blanket draped on top was thicker.

"How many other children are under Mr. Kingston's employ?" The question popped into Alvin's head without warning, and he spoke it without thinking.

Stephen's face took on a shocked look before he quickly composed himself. "Two boys – with you – and three girls. The girls appeared a fortnight ago, to help take care of the new baby."

Alvin nodded quickly before lying back on his bed and propping up his feet. "And, there are only two children inhabiting the house? Theodore and the baby?"

Stephen seemed taken aback at the casual way Alvin tossed the boy's name out. "Yes. Master Theodore doesn't require much though. He stays to himself."

Alvin paused in thought before replying. "That explains why he seemed so lonesome before."

Stephen's face took on an inquiring look. "How do you seem to know so much about the young master?"

Alvin smiled and rolled over onto his stomach. He propped his head up with his hands while resting his elbows on the bed. "He's my brother."

--

Simon sighed to himself as he heaved a heavy tome from the ground and shoved it onto a shelf. The book quivered a little, as if planning to fall, before settling and slumping to the right to rest against its neighbor. Quickly, Simon grabbed a slightly smaller book and set it next to the first, careful to straighten both after a pause.

The library had become busy after the first initial meeting of the Continental Congress. It seemed that the gathering had sparked a revolution of its own in the simple circles of Boston.

The need to read.

Almost every male in Boston – high and low classes both – had been in the library at one point. Most of the higher classes went straight to the books, picking some out and reading, while the lower class men went to Marie, begging her to teach them to read. **(*)** Currently, she was stuck in the middle of another lesson, attempting to teach those that could barely speak properly.

Because of the swell of readers and learners alike, the library had needed more people to help keep up the books and building. Unfortunately, because she was so busy, Marie hadn't gotten around to hiring more people, so Simon was stuck having to shelve most of the books and pick up after all the visitors. It was tiresome, and it also didn't help that he also had to take care of Dave. Silently, he cursed Alvin for leaving.

"-Kingston's sending out another shipment tomorrow. Word's gotten around that he plans on going with it."

Simon's ears perked at the sound of the familiar last name, and he set down the book he was holding. Quickly, he pin-pointed the men who were talking, and he tip-toed closer.

They were both of the higher class, with nice clothes and groomed hair. One was leaning over a stack of book set beside him, searching the titles on the shelf before turning to his companion.

"Truly? That leaves his house without a leader. Didn't his woman just have a child?"

The first man nodded before extracting a book from the shelf. He blew off the thick coating of dust before reading the title. A satisfied look came over his face and he tucked the volume under his arm. "That she did. Little girl. He's still without an heir."

"He adopted a boy." The statement came from behind Simon, and he was shocked to see Marie peering at the two men, her eyes flashing dangerously.

The man with the book glanced upward at her, studied her, and apparently deemed her unworthy of a response. He stood swiftly, taking to book out from under his limb and holding it out to her. "That he did." He spoke quickly, seeing the look on her face. "But, you and I both know that he will do everything in his power to ensure that the boy receives nothing." He paused, "may I take this book?"

--

Theodore was on the verge of sleep. He had been sent to his room by Rosemary after Alvin had been escorted off to the servant's house, and he had no way to occupy himself.

For a while, he had managed to keep himself entertained by counting the number of times someone passed his room to attend to the baby – the only room left on the hall was hers – but he had grown bored of that quickly. Now, he was teetering on the edge of sleep, but he was determined to stay awake until Alvin was released from the servant's quarters. It had been decided, as if Theodore weren't even there, that Alvin should get familiar with his new room, for he would be living there for a while, and Theodore would just have to keep himself busy until he was allowed to see his new servant.

Theodore supposed he could summon Alvin, but he didn't know how kindly his brother would take to the notion and quickly pushed the idea down. There was no reason to bother Alvin while he was getting used to his surroundings.

The chipmunk sighed to himself as he rolled onto his back, prepared to drop into dreamland, but was pulled out of his tired state as someone came running down the hall.

"Hurry!" One voice called, and Theodore's eyes widened as he caught a high pitched edge to it. "We must go with haste!"

"If we hasten any faster, I'll be sure to fall!" Another voice called out. By now, they were at the end of the hall, and Theodore heard a door open.

Against his better judgment, Theodore slid off the bed and opened his own door quietly. He knew that if Rosemary or any of her ladies caught him snooping around when he was supposed to be scarce he would be punished, but his interest was caught.

Quickly, he padded down the hall, making sure to glance back every few seconds. When he arrived at the baby's room, he paused and looked back one more time. It seemed no one was coming.

From the room, he caught sounds of Annabelle cooing and a soft voice singing to her. The song sounded foreign to Theodore and he felt his ears prick as he got closer. Suddenly, two other voices joined and they wrapped around the first. The voices weaved around each other, harmonies clicking into place as they sang.

Slowly, the song flowed to a close and the baby was silent. The three girls – there were obviously three – sighed in relief together and there were sounds of movement as they placed the baby back into bed.

Before he knew what he was doing, Theodore had bolted into the room and shut the door behind him. The girls spun around, and he caught his first look at the three singers.

All three were chipmunks, with small ears and noses that twitched every time a new smell was introduced – much like his own. The first he saw was the tallest. She had brown hair, pulled up into a knot at the top of her hair, and green eyes hidden slightly behind black framed glasses. Her dress was purple and simple, and it hung off her frame as if it were too big.

The next he saw was the middle sized one. She had auburn hair with a pink bow holding it into a high pony tail. Her blue eyes took him in with a practiced glance, as if she were expecting trouble from him, and her pink dress was more elaborate than the others.

The last was the shortest and by far the cutest – not that he would ever say that out loud. She was round like him, with a green dress and two small blond pig tails. Her brown eyes were soft as she looked at him and she smiled faintly.

"Hello." He squeaked out, feeling his voice break through an octave in his embarrassment.

The tallest one stared at him before glancing at the other two. Quickly, the middle sized one shared her look before the small one moved forward. "Hello."

The pink dressed one's eyes widened and she grabbed the smallest's hand. "Eleanor, what do you think you're doing?!"

The green clad girl – Eleanor – shook off her hand. "Brittany, Jeanette, don't you see…?" She asked, gesturing toward the boy. "This is Theodore!"

--

**(*) **_This is where the creative license starts. I'm changing a few things up from how things were. _

_--_

**Huzzah! I actually added the Chipettes and added a fairly decent cliffhanger! **

**Yes, I was trying to avoid putting the girls in – personal reasons – but I've gotten a lot of people asking me about them, and I'm not one to turn away reviewer ideas. Also, I actually got realized how useful the girls can be. (Hello plot devices! *points at the Squeakquel as an example*)**

**Besides, if they get in the way, I can always kill them off, right?**

**Okay, okay… I wouldn't do that… But, if they do get in the way, they shall be sent away by order of authoress. Banishment, I say, banishment! **

**Now, this story will be set up in different plot sections – which I call plot arcs. A lot of TV shows and book series use these – Harry Potter and Yugioh (Yu-gi-oh! depending on which version you watch) are two that I can name off the top of my head. These arcs will overlap, thus the plot weaving around itself. The previous nine some-odd chapters basically focused on the Theodore arc with Alvin's starting in the middle. Simon's will being towards the end of Alvin's and a new Theodore one will start right before that. **

**Luckily, with Theodore in his position at the height of society, I can play around with him more. (I've noticed a lack of things centered around Theo, so I decided to make up for it.)**

**I've no idea how many arcs this story will have, but right now Alvin and Simon both have one and Theodore has three. (The Chipettes are background characters, and as thus have none. D: ) All three boys also share two – whose labels will remain hidden for now. **

**(/Explanation)**

**So, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'm slowly getting used to writing again, and my mind has been lacking in the idea department, so updates will be slow for a while. **

**Also, reviews are like candy. I like candy. Send me some! **

**(Oh, and I've set up a Newsboard on my profile. If you want to know how far I am from updating, it'll be on there. **

**REVIEW! **


	12. Secret Plannings in Baby Nurseries

**ARGH! FANFICTION ATE MY FORMATTING! *fumes* **

**Chapter 11: Secret Plannings in Baby Nurseries **

**Warnings: Extreme babbling from the Chipettes. They tend to over talk… This is why I don't like them… among other things. **

**Disclaimer: Ugh. Must I come up with witty disclaimers involving the fact that I would get rid of all poop jokes in the 2007 movie (if I owned the Chipmunks)? Really? Can't you people just settle for a boring disclaimer? Why must I be witty all the time?**

**Enjoy. **

_**(Yeah, I really hate the poop jokes.)**_

* * *

_LAST TIME: _

_The pink dressed one's eyes widened and she grabbed the smallest's hand. "Eleanor, what do you think you're doing?"_

_The green clad girl – Eleanor – shook off her hand. "Brittany, Jeanette, don't you see…?" She asked, gesturing toward the boy. "This is Theodore!"_

* * *

**September 9, 1774**

"Don't be absurd, Eleanor," the purple clad one mumbled under her breath while stealing glances at Theodore from under her bangs. "Theodore passed long ago with Alvin, Simon, and Vinnie in the fire."

Eleanor cocked a brow before rolling her eyes in the direction of the ceiling. Theodore was taken aback by the display of attitude from a servant girl, but he didn't reprimand her; it wasn't like he thought of most of them as servants anyway. "How do you know that they actually died? There were no remains left in the house. And we all know that that squirrel had been harassing Vinnie for forever…" She trailed off meaningly before turning back to Theodore. "May I ask your name?" She questioned with a grin, fighting back the other two's hands as they tried to cover her mouth.

Theodore paused with his mouth half open, a syllable balancing on his lips. If he answered truthfully, they might believe him a liar, for he had just heard their whole conversation, but if he lied they would just brush him off and he wouldn't be able to ask them what they had been conversing about.

"It's Theodore."

Both of the older ones gasped and backed up before composing themselves. The younger one simple looked back at them, triumphant, before moving towards Theodore.

"He could be lying, Eleanor. He did just listen to our speaking right in front of him," the pink dressed one remarked when Eleanor got a little too close for comfort to the green clad chipmunk.

"Come now, Brittany. Why would he? We are just _lowly_ servant girls…" Eleanor trailed off again as she circled Theodore like a shark, checking over his every angle. "He surely does look like the Theodore I remember. He even resembles Vinnie from the portrait…"

The purple dressed one – who Theodore had to assume was named Jeanette – spoke next. "Even if he were Theodore – _our _Theodore – what would he be doing all the way out hither? This is a long ways from the forest for a young child to wander alone."

Before Eleanor could respond, the child in the bed let out a cry and all three girls were on it in a second, cooing and attempting to get her to quiet. While they worked, the whispered to each other, and Theodore didn't catch any of it, for it was too hushed even for his sensitive ears.

Finally, just as they had managed to get Annabelle quiet, they seemed to come to a decision, and they turned as one. Eleanor broke from the pack again before walking up to Theodore and staring him straight in the eye.

"If you really are who I think you are, then you need to meet us at high noon three days from now in the library in the square. We've seen other chipmunks inhabiting the building and are pretty sure they will give us a meeting place if we inquire after one."

Theodore opened his mouth to remark that it was Simon who lived there, and he was his brother, so they would surely have shelter, but Eleanor held up a hand.

"Don't bother putting up a fuss. Mayhap you will come, mayhap you will not. That is for you to decide." She glanced back at her sisters. "Now, you must hasten out. Mrs. Kingston comes soon to check on her child." Then, with that, she turned Theodore around roughly before shoving him out the door.

As he stumbled down the hallway back to his own room, he couldn't help but wonder why her stare seemed so familiar.

* * *

"You! Boy!" Alvin jolted up from where he was lying on his bed, half asleep. One glance out of the window told him that it was still deep into the night, and he cursed whoever it was that was waking him.

"Sir?" He chocked out, catching sight of the butler who had led him to the servant's barracks. This man was not one to be trifled with.

"Master Theodore is calling for you." Alvin's face darkened slightly at that. _How dare Theodore wake him this late! Wait, what was Theodore even still doing up?_ "He demanded that you come up at once."

Alvin sighed, rubbed his eyes, and slid out of his bed. Across the room, Stephen had turned over under his own blanket and had buried his head under his pillow.

_Oh, how I wish we could trade roles._

Quietly, so as to not wake Stephen, Alvin attempted to find his breeches and his shirt, but the butler roughly grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the room.

"There is no time, child," he rumbled as they trudged through the door to the outside. "Theodore wanted you _at once_."

Alvin heaved an annoyed sigh as he rushed forward to make sure his arm stayed attached to his body, his feet sinking in the mud.

_Oi… He might've at least let me retrieve my shoes. I'm going to be treading mud all across the house._ He smiled deviously. _Perfect._

* * *

_- and Theodore assures me that his dream was very similar to the one you mentioned only a few sunsets ago and that these three girls might be correct. _

_We were wishing that you would provide a meeting place for them along with us three sunrises from now. Anywhere but the front room would be perfect, though Marie would need to be occupied elsewhere._

_We will be seeing you soon, brother._

_ALVIN_

* * *

Simon sighed as he attempted to decipher Alvin's messy scrawl. He was getting the gist of what his brother was saying – he pointedly ignored the run-on sentences – but it still confused him and he had many questions.

But, there was no way for him to contact his brothers. The messenger that had delivered the message had left just as suddenly as he had appeared, babbling something about 'not on course and going to be late' before turning and running off down the street. He would just have to trust his brothers and hope they knew what they were doing.

Quietly, he padded towards the main chamber of the building, a candle in hand. It was still early, but Marie was down in the library already, shelving books that Simon hadn't gotten to the night before. She didn't seem to hear him as he walked up behind her, but she must've saw the light for she turned after placing an ancient looking tome on the nearest shelf.

"Simon," she started, nearly breathless, "what are you doing up, son? It's not even daybreak yet."

"I received a message from Dave's doctor," he ad libbed, as he hid the real message behind his back. "He sent that it was time to refresh his wrappings."

"Really now? Well, I'll get on that in the morning. Now, since you're up, will you assist me with these books?"

He nodded before bending down and grabbing a smaller one and sticking it beside the one she had just placed. Then, he repeated the process with a new, bigger volume.

"Marie," he ventured after a while, careful to keep his voice light and questioning, "is the backroom empty still?"

She looked at him for a few seconds before replying. "As empty as ever. May I ask why?"

"I'm just inquisitive, is all."

**

* * *

**

**Well, there we have it. The stage is set for a very interesting meeting. **

**If this chapter confused you, feel free to let me know. I'm kinda confused by it myself. **

**Oh, and just ignore the fact that it's SHORT. Shhh… Let's not tell anyone. It'll be our little secret. **

**Ugh, other than that… I have nothing to say. **

**So, please review! **

_**Next time: Theodore and Alvin manage to sneak out of the house with a little help from Stephen. Hm. Hope nothing blows up… A meeting of most uneventfulness occurs for the sake of the plot. Oh, and Alvin sees Dave. Aaaaaangst and drama ensue. **_


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